Star Wars - Trinity
by Lynx Piro
Summary: Takes place after SWTFA. When a vessel that was lost to a black hole returns after 30 years, the galaxy is in for a world of chaos. Three powerful Imperials join the First Order to destroy the New Republic and Resistance while building relationships with their fellow colleagues. Main(HuxXOC) (KyloXOC) (PhasmaXOC) Rated T for future violence and some mature content(Maybe).
1. Chapter 1

**Star Wars**

 **Trinity**

 **A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away raged on a war between the Resistance and the newly debuted First Order. With the destruction of Starkiller Base, Supreme Leader Snoke has decided to change tactics. As he thought of them, a shift in the force has him sending a humiliated General Hux, a sulking Kylo Ren and a shamed Captain Phasma to seek the source of the disturbance. Little did they know, that disturbance was the return of a vessel thought to be lost to a black hole.**

* * *

He shouldn't be looking at the stars but he just couldn't help it. The shining beacons calls for him to conquer, to show them that he was worth it. He scowled at that thought. After the loss of Starkiller base, General Hux has never felt the same. His self-esteem had greatly been decreased which was something he had been trying to ignore. It didn't help that a certain someone was taunting his loss.

Kylo Ren currently stood to his left, also staring at those same stars but he wasn't thinking about them. His dark thoughts kept the dark side happy but after getting defeated by a girl – a scavenger of all things considered – he had been sulking in his own way. Everyone stayed away from the two high command officials except Captain Phasma who stood diligently to the General's right.

After getting put in that trash compacter, she didn't dare say anything. In truth, she was ashamed but luckily her helmet covered her expression. Curiously, she looked at the General who was deep in thought but she knew he was furious over the loss of a weapon he had worked for three decades. A lot of talent was lost that day and even some troopers she had considered reliable.

"Sir, there is an emergency beacon-" A crewmen was cut off halfway as a smoking Imperial _II-class_ Star Destroyer appeared out of thin air in front of them.

The _Finalizer_ immediately swerved to avoid the collision before it slowed down and parked beside the ISD. General Hux was slightly frustrated at the distraction but that thought changed when he noticed that this Star Destroyer looked eerily similar to a picture his 'father' had shown him. Granted most ISD's look the same but there was a distinguished difference.

"Captain, prepare to board." Hux ordered and Phasma saluted, moving away to bark orders at the troopers.

"I can feel it." Ren said with his vocalist making his voice slightly deeper.

"Feel what?" Hux asked albeit uninterested in his force senses.

Ren just looked at him before turning around and walked out of the door. Hux huffed, clearly displeased with his manners but after giving orders towards the crew, he was on his way to the hangar. He entered the shuttle since there were no other ways to enter the vessel without one and he also had to wear a space suit to be able to breathe when they reach the vessel. The ISD had no power so it made sense. To be honest, he didn't know why he was going but something about seeing that ISD got him wanting to board it.

When they landed the shuttle in the hangar, the troopers checked the perimeter while Hux took a look around to notice the observation room which surprisingly looked like someone made it their office. He racked his brain to try and remember who in the Empire had done that. His mind couldn't grasp on the answer though and he was once again distracted when Ren strutted off away from the group. Hux ignored him, knowing he was following the force and it was best not to disturb him when he was on a mission.

"Look around the vessel for any signs of life." Hux told the troopers and they saluted before filing out of the hangar.

Come to think of it, the ISD did feel off and Hux had to wonder what happened to the vessel. He also decided to check out the office because it might contain some clues as to what happened or who owned this vessel. The engineers that were brought onto the vessel had yet to turn on the power so he had to wait rather impatiently to get to his destination. Once he did, he took off his space suit, since the air was being circulated and he coughed due to the dust in the air.

He waved his hand in front of his face while waiting for the dust to settle. He noted that the air was stale, there were no smell of dead corpse or blood wafting through the air. It lifted his spirits slightly especially when the room was full of artifacts. He glanced at the items before walking towards a lit-up display that held an old blaster. He wanted to take it out but decided not to and walked towards a dusted painting where a plaque was ingrained below it. He wiped the dust off the plaque with his glove and immediately jerked his head back in surprise. Without hesitation, he blew away the dust from the painting to drop his jaw in awe.

"It can't be…" Hux muttered, knowing what vessel he was in now.

He had heard the stories of a trio commanding an ISD vessel known as the _X-factor_. It was a lone vessel, never once joined a fleet despite their capabilities. His father had been stationed there when he was a lieutenant and the experiences he received was far different from any other vessel. The rule of the trio was simple, all for one and one for all. Unity was what got them through to the end, to defeat every single rebel that has ever crossed their path.

Although, most of their victories were minor, they were victories nonetheless. Grand Admiral Trihorn thinks similarly to Grand Admiral Thrawn which was why the ex-smuggler was promoted to that position in the first place. In the painting, he had electric blue spiked up hair and dark blue eyes with the typical white uniform of a Grand Admiral.

Grand General Lynx was the first ever women to reach that rank. She was ruthless with discipline due to her bounty hunter background but gentle to everyone around her. In the picture, she had orange hair that reached her shoulders, gold colored eyes and an olive-green colored uniform.

Then, there was ISB Agent Mia. She was impossible to guess but amazing at gathering information. Her experience at being an ex-thief gave her a great advantage at snooping around. She wore a white uniform – similar to Yularen -, had magenta colored eyes and violet hair.

Hux took another look around the room and this time, he noticed it. A cryo tank at one side of the wall, like it was camouflaged so he walked up to it and what he saw took his breath away. Grand General Lynx was as beautiful as the painting perceived her to be. She still wore her olive-green uniform and her rank insignia was seen perfectly above her heart. Her orange hair was placed neatly behind her shoulders and even in stasis, she held her head high with pride and ambition.

The only difference was a very long scar running from the left side of the forehead, down her left eye, down her cheek and finally ended under her left ear. He placed a hand on the glass to wipe the fog and tried to get a good peek inside when a blue light scanned him from top to bottom unexpectedly causing him to jump back. The light disappeared and a human female voice said something about downloading information. He looked at the progress being displayed on the glass which reached its peak in a second.

 _'Scan complete. Please be prepared to catch.'_ The screen showed a smiley face before it disappeared and the door hissed open. Hux barely recovered in time to catch the girl who fell out of the tank with a groan.

"W- Where am I?" For the first time in forever, Hux actually froze stiffly. He had thought her voice would be rough or something but it was actually… Gentle.

"Who are you?" Lynx continued and Hux finally snapped out of his shock. He only just realized that he was still holding her so he carefully started guiding her towards the chair.

"Answer my questions." Lynx growled slightly and that was a warning Hux knew so well. He let her settle down on the seat first before moving away and cleared his throat.

"I am General Hux of the First Order. I was sent here by Supreme Leader Snoke to retrieve you." Hux said, surprisingly not stuttering and Lynx just blinked a few times, trying to rack her brain for recognition of the names.

"How long was I out?" She asked, rubbing her eyes rather tiredly.

"I am unsure but the Galactic Empire was defeated thirty years ago." Hux said and Lynx blinked quickly once again before her face turned into shock as she remembered.

"The black hole… I was- Kriff! I was- We were stuck in a black hole for- What in the universe happened?" Lynx sighed exasperatedly before she turned to look outside the window.

"Are you alright, sir?" Hux asked and was slightly unsure of how to address her considering her higher rank.

"You will call me Lynx, Hux. I hate formalities and prefer to stay casual, as do my siblings which you would have noticed." She not-so subtly glanced at the painting to her right before looking back at the hangar. "And to answer your question, no. I am not alright. I was in suspended animation for more than thirty years. I am temporarily blind although I know where everything is so it is not of a concern of mine. However, I would like you to guide me to my brother's office."

"Which is where?" Hux asked while Lynx stood up, nearly falling but regained her footing.

"Near the bridge. He was always prepared in case a rebel vessel decided to appear out of nowhere." Lynx replied while walking towards Hux.

She stopped in front of him before holding her hand out and Hux was a little confused about what that was supposed to mean. He was also unsure how she managed to know where he was without bumping into him as a normal blind person would do.

"Hux, don't tell me no one's ever grabbed your hand before." Lynx said and Hux just gritted his teeth. It was slightly the truth...

"I-. I'm just not used to this." He replied albeit reluctantly and grabbed Lynx's hand. Even though Lynx's eyes had colors in them, she couldn't actually see but she could feel the General's anxiety which caused her to smile.

"The feeling's mutual. Now, please guide me to my brother's office."

"Is he alive as well?" Hux asked while walking out of the door, making sure to keep a pace that Lynx could follow.

"I'm not sure. Mia was the first to enter her cryo tank, then me and lastly Trihorn but he should be alright." Lynx tilted her head slightly to he left, catching the General's attention who had been thinking of how optimistic Lynx sounded even though the situation was dire. She didn't even react when he said the Empire was defeated...

"What is it?"

"Nothing of importance… Yet."

##

A lot of questions were running through Ren's mind. The most prominent would be the _who_. The second being the _how_. He didn't know whose vessel he was in to have sensed another force wielder so powerful, it made him shiver when he entered. He had had to wait for power to turn on so that he could use the turbolift and his long legs strode down the hall, searching for the very room where the force was at its strongest.

He was near the crew's quarters, he realized and the room he was searching for was an office. Curious, he scanned his surroundings while reaching out to the force to grasp the location of the force user. He didn't even have to get far as his eyes landed on a cryo tank. He walked up towards it and put a hand on the glass only to jump back and ignite his lightsaber when a blue light scanned him up to down.

 _'Downloading information…'_ A women voice said and Ren still stood back with his lightsaber at the ready.

 _'Download complete. Please be prepared to catch.'_ The monitor showed a smiley face before the door opened and a woman fell down on all fours.

"Kriff, everything hurts." She groaned and held her head in her left hand while Ren kept his lightsaber after realizing that the force was converging into her.

"Who are you?" Ren asked and the woman looked up at him before blinking.

"Oh, I can't see… Well, I would ask you the same thing but after hearing that lightsaber, I can only guess that you are a Sith. I am Agent Mia from the Imperial Security Bureau." Mia slowly stood up and fixed her uniform.

"I am not a Sith. The Sith are dead." Ren growled slightly.

"You have a lightsaber and I'm guessing you also have a mask which equates to a Sith. Deny it all you want but you still are one." Mia retorted before turning her head towards the door, tilting her head slightly.

"Are you a Sith?" Ren questioned and Mia shushed him, her ears twitching with fear. "What?"

"We are not safe. Take me to the Grand Admiral's office." Mia held her hand out towards Ren who took a step back.

"What makes you think I will do so?" Ren queried.

"Because if you don't… There are far more worse things than death on this vessel." Mia hissed slightly, her fear was well hidden from her tone.

"What do you mean?"

"Our time in the black hole has allowed some other… Deadly alien to come aboard and that thing cannot die by our hands. We need to get out of here and if we are to survive, we will have to work together. Yes, you and your rival." Mia huffed slightly.

"Rey?"

"No, that General. Now, will you grab my hand and lead me to my brother's office? Like I said, we don't have much time." Mia motioned with her magenta eyes towards her hand which Ren decided to grab and lead her down the hall.

"Your brother is a Grand Admiral?"

"One of the best." Mia smirked. "He is just as good as Thrawn."

"The Chiss?"

"Who else? Then there is my sister, Grand General Lynx. I'd tell ya she can change emotions really quick. It's not even funny." Mia chuckled softly before her ears twitched. "Did you bring any troopers on board?"

"Several, including some engineers." Ren replied.

"Well, they are dead." Mia deadpanned before the lights flickered off and Ren stopped in his tracks.

"What are you not telling me?" Ren narrowed his eyes behind his mask at Mia who shrugged.

"It's only a matter of time before they find us anyway and if you want an explanation, my brother can provide a better one. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around this whole thing." Mia said and didn't even wince when Ren tried to mind probe her. Yes, _tried_. "I would get moving, Ren. I also wouldn't try to mind probe myself. It's a mess in there."

"You are a force user…"

"Except I don't abuse it. Now, get moving before that thing on board this vessel finds us." Mia said quickly so Ren started walking again while reaching out into the force to find that 'thing'.

##

"Sir, there is a heat signature ahead of us." A trooper told Phasma who ordered them to stop.

"Show yourself!" Phasma yelled when the lights went off.

Every single trooper turned on their blaster lights and pointed it down the hall where the earlier trooper had scanned the heat signature. Phasma narrowed her eyes behind her chrome helmet when what sounded like grinding noise started getting closer and closer towards them. Their own flashlights flickered off causing a trooper to fire into the dark out of fear.

At first nothing happened after the trooper accidentally pressed the trigger but then said trooper suddenly gurgled and fell on his back, dead like a ragdoll. The other troopers immediately fired out of fear and Phasma watched as each of them fell dead to the darkness. Phasma was about to aim her blaster at the two glowing red eyes but someone stopped her from doing so.

She turned to her right to see a man, his electric blue hair and white uniform struck out in the darkness. Phasma wanted to yell at him to move out of the way but one glance from the man caused her to shut up. The creature in the dark growled before it closed its eyes and disappeared. The man released a breath before looking at Phasma with narrowed eyes. He was studying her but she was unfazed by it.

"Who are you?" The man questioned Phasma who tilted her head.

"I am Captain Phasma of the First Order. Who are you?"

"I am Grand Admiral Trihorn, commander of the ISD _X-factor_ which you are currently in. Now, answer my next question, are you a female underneath that armor?"

"Yes, I am." Phasma replied without hesitation and Trihorn jerked back slightly.

"Well then, Captain. Follow me to my office unless you want that abomination to end your life."


	2. Chapter 2

Lynx and Hux were in the turbolift when the power went out. As soon as it did, Lynx didn't like it one bit, mainly because she knew the intruder on board was not one kind soul.

"Useless engineers." Hux took out his comm but Lynx quickly put her hand over it and shook her head.

"Don't. You will only make it worse." Lynx said before looking at the roof of the turbolift.

Hux did the same to see a trapdoor but it was out of his reach. He looked back at Lynx who had a smile on her face and she pointed upwards. He also realized that she had taken off her boots and was now showing her light skin toned feet. He sighed but allowed Lynx to climb and sit on his back while she tried to pry it open.

"You know, for someone who looks so light, you are actually quite heavy." Hux huffed while Lynx laughed heartily.

"That's all the muscles." She grinned and punched the lock, wincing slightly. "Ow, I guess I'm still recovering."

"Can you open it?" Hux questioned and looked up to try and get a look.

"If I can remember how to. We build this trapdoor a long time ago that I forgot how to open it especially without my vision to help me." Lynx replied then hummed in thought.

"That's not reassuring… So, what happened that got you in the black hole anyways?"

"You shouldn't ask a gloomy question in the midst of a gloomy situation." Lynx scolded before punching the lock again.

"Sorry."

"Don't be. You're curious and that question will be answered when we get to my brother's office. For now, I need to focus on opening this lock." Lynx closed her eyes and released a breath before punching the lock for the third time, managing to break it.

It dropped to the floor, missing Hux by mere centimeters before Lynx opened the trapdoor and climbed up. She held her hand out for Hux who grabbed it and Lynx nearly fell back inside the turbolift. She managed to catch herself and pull the General out and on top of the lift.

"Damn, _you_ are heavy." Lynx huffed and Hux just rolled his eyes while standing back up to look at the situation.

"What now?" He asked Lynx who was still trying to recover.

"You see that lever beside the door?" Lynx pointed behind her to the elevator door.

"Yes."

"Pull it. It is an emergency lever that Trihorn installed to open the door." She explained while Hux went to pull said lever.

It was hard because there was no power to assist in pulling it but Hux managed to do so and open up to a really dark hallway. He gulped as fear crept into his heart but he managed to steel himself when Lynx grabbed his hand, squeezing it slightly for reassurance. Hux couldn't really see in the darkness which was why Lynx took the lead, her confidence overriding Hux's fear.

Hux was actually amazed with her confidence because she should be scared, being blind and seeing as there was something deadly in the vessel but he also knew that Lynx led the troopers by example. It was the reason why she was promoted to Grand General. In whatever battles her troops were sent to, she was there to lead them, to show them that there was nothing to fear. Lynx abruptly stopped in the middle of a hallway, breaking Hux out of his train of thoughts.

"What is it?" Hux questioned when Lynx looked around, fear etched on her features.

"Is there a room to our left?" Lynx asked.

"Yes." Hux replied before getting shoved into the room roughly by Lynx and she tried to close the door but it didn't close properly.

"Lynx-."

"Shh!" Lynx placed her right index finger on Hux's lips while her left hand was on his chest which caused his heart to race but Lynx didn't pay any attention to that.

She was more concerned of the noise getting ever closer towards them. Hux was finally able to hear what Lynx had been hearing this whole time and to say the least, his heart leapt in fear. Since the door was slightly open, he was able to see the creature despite being in the dark. When it walked towards them, it was like a grinding noise which caused his head to pound. The creature or abomination would be the better word, stopped in front of the room.

Lynx, who had her back facing the door, slowly moved her finger from his lips to put her hand on his shoulder like she was holding him back. However, Hux was too petrified to move and he stared at the abomination with his mouth opened slightly in surprise. The abomination was covered in a black substance of sorts which was pulsing, moving in a beat. Its eyes were bright red and glowing menacingly like it was reading his mind the longer he stared into it.

After what seemed like an eternity, the abomination finally moved away from the room and continued its stride down the hall, looking for something to feast on. That was when Hux was finally able to move and he looked down at Lynx who at some point had placed her forehead on his chest. She shivered slightly before looking up at Hux and moved away, releasing a breath that she had been holding to show smoke from the air that had gone super chilly.

"What was that thing?" Hux asked slowly, his heart still hammering in his chest from fear.

"Something that even I don't know. The only safe place for us is Trihorn's office. We must get there quickly." Lynx said determinedly despite her voice quavering from time to time.

"You are afraid…" Hux said in slight disbelief.

"Who wouldn't be?" Lynx hissed before she looked out the door and started walking.

Hux frowned and looked away before sighing. He realized that if he was going to get out of here alive, he had to follow her. So, he quickly caught up with her and followed her pace. He was slightly surprised when Lynx gently grabbed his hand.

"You still cannot see, can you?" Hux asked her and she nodded.

"I need reassurance that someone else is here with me. It boosts my confidence more so than alone." Lynx explained quietly and Hux nodded to her statement.

In truth, her action wasn't for reassurance, it was to boost Hux's morale after seeing the abomination. She could feel his fear even though the creature had moved away. She didn't want that fear to make him freeze up again when the creature comes around which was why she held his hand. Contact is one way she could send the emotions and it was most probably the best way when one is blind.

When they finally reached Trihorn's office, Mia and Ren were already there. Their journey was very straightforward as they never did encounter the abomination roaming the halls. While Hux closed the door behind him, Lynx, Trihorn and Mia engaged in a family hug.

"I'm glad you're safe." Trihorn muttered, his voice betraying his will to stay strong.

"It wasn't easy." Lynx replied.

"What you talking about? I got the most chill walk in my life!" Mia smirked when they parted and Trihorn rolled his eyes.

"Still as childish as ever."

"Hey I outrank you, alright." Mia pointed out and Trihorn rolled his eyes once again before looking at the three First Order officers.

"I'm guessing you guys want an explanation."

"Very much so." Hux nodded, his voice going back into command while he clasped his hands behind his back.

"While in the black hole, we saw many things. We saw other vessels, we visited other planets but the deadliest one in our journey was an alien. The alien that you have encountered except for Kylo Ren. Hideous looking but deadly as Phasma might have experienced. The thing is, the alien only goes after ladies, for reasons that I am unsure of. Luckily for us, Mia and Lynx are the only ladies here and they never left my side. It will attack though when you provoke it. It was the only reason why your troopers were killed." Trihorn explained.

During the explanation, the three siblings and General Hux had taken their seat, with Lynx and Mia resting their heads on Trihorn's shoulder. Phasma stood at attention beside Hux while Ren was leaning on the wall beside the door. Ren was intrigued but at the same time, he was frustrated as he couldn't penetrate Lynx's or Trihorn's minds. They were not force users, that much he knew but they were still somehow able to block his mind probe. The weirder fact was that they didn't flinch when he probed them.

"So, you are telling us that we cannot attack it?" Hux clarified.

"No attacking or leaving any of my siblings alone. I'm sure that's easy, right?" Trihorn raised an eyebrow when the two men shifted in their spot.

"Yes, I suppose… But what happened to your crew?"

"Did you notice the hangar being empty?" Trihorn questioned before continuing when they nodded. "We realized that the TIE fighters and the Lambda shuttles are able to enter smaller sized portals that appeared more frequently. We allowed everyone else to leave while we stayed on board because we knew that one day, there will be a portal big enough for the _X-factor_ and we must be there to guide it."

"I see..." Hux nodded in understanding.

"Now, tell me what happened while we were stuck in the black hole." Trihorn said and Hux began retelling the tales of the previous events including how the First Order was formed.

"Supreme Leader Snoke ordered us to this location where you exited hyperspace." Hux finished the story.

"Interesting… Somehow I knew Darth Vader was going to betray us. Oh well." Trihorn shrugged nonchalantly causing Lynx's and Mia's heads to slide off and hit each other.

"Ow!"

"Kriff!" Lynx shouted, rubbing her head before smacking Trihorn who had been laughing.

"Hey, don't blame me! You two decided to sleep." Trihorn scowled, rubbing his head before looking back at Hux. "Which brings me this question, were you sent here to check on us or are you going to invite us?"

"We were supposed to check but now that we have found you, would you like to join us? The Empire is gone but we are going to bring a new order towards the galaxy. Your knowledge and abilities would be much appreciated in the First Order." Hux said and Lynx tugged on Trihorn's sleeve.

"Can we?" Lynx asked and Trihorn smirked.

"You know, I've waited thirty years for another battle. I can't wait anymore. However, there are some ground rules I would like to set."

"You do not set it with us. You set it with the Supreme Leader." Hux stopped Trihorn before he could say it.

"Well that just blotched a mark." Trihorn pouted before looking at the door when a grinding noise echoed outside the room.

Ren instinctively reached for his lightsaber but was stopped by Mia who grabbed his hand. Lynx grabbed Hux's hand who tried to move away but she had a death grip. Trihorn also did the same for Phasma but unlike the General, Phasma didn't try to let go. The grinding noise stopped in front of the door, as if the abomination was scanning the room. Mia moved behind Ren's shoulder slightly in fear, Lynx also wanted to completely hide behind the General while Phasma stood at attention, showing no fear at all but behind the helmet, she was sweating.

Ren wanted to say something but was surprisingly silenced by one glare from Mia. It enraged him on the inside but he couldn't voice it out. Hux was just as frightened as Lynx but she tried to be confident for him. She rested her head on his shoulder and thought of happy thoughts while relaxing her form. It worked, however slightly on Hux and she could feel his shoulders relaxing slightly. Meanwhile, Trihorn held onto Phasma's hand while he glared daggers at the door. He was, to say the least, furious at the abomination for disrupting this little peace but he knows the dangers of provoking the abomination. He was also trying to get Phasma to focus on anything but fear.

 ** _'_** ** _You will be mine.'_** A distorted voice whispered towards Lynx and she visibly stiffened causing Trihorn to look at her, concern etched on his face.

Hux narrowed his eyes when the same voice whispered towards him a different sentence, _**'**_ _ **She will be mine.'**_

 _Over my dead body._ Hux thought icily before realizing his words.

He looked down at Lynx and just noted that she had her eyes closed while her head rested on his shoulder. He bit his lower lip, thinking about why he suddenly wanted to protect her when all his life, he has always been thinking about himself… And the future of the galaxy of course. The grinding noise abruptly started again causing Hux to snap his attention towards the door. It slowly faded away into the distant echoes of the halls causing all of them to sigh… Or just the three siblings. Ren watched Mia while she slid her hand off and moved away from him in a sheepish manner. He wanted to berate her but something about those eyes stopped him, like he was caught in a trance.

"Blast. I still can't see." Lynx pouted slightly when she opened her eyes and moved away from Hux, albeit reluctantly.

"It's temporary, dear sister. I'm sure it will go away soon." Trihorn said before his look softened. "It said something, right?"

"Yes, it did." Lynx shivered slightly and idly rubbed her left arm as goose bumps started forming. Hux eyed her with narrowed eyes. A part of him pitied her but the other part, his hard-shelled self, felt disgusted both at himself and her.

"Why do I have the feeling of wanting to protect you? Did you do something to me?" Hux questioned and Lynx released a breath, the chill in the air more prominent with the smoke that accompanied.

"No. I didn't nor Mia to you." She glanced at Ren who stiffened at the sudden attention. "This was not our fault, General. It was of a higher being."

"You're blaming the force now? I do not believe of such a thing, _sir_." He stressed the work like it was a curse. "I am a practical man with little time to believe in it."

"General! This is exactly what the abomination wants! End this right now!" Trihorn interrupted with a growl. Hux glared at him before closing his eyes.

"You do not command me since we are of different parties." His eyes shot open with a new fury that caused Trihorn to narrow his eyes. "I will no longer partake in this… discussion."

"General." Ren said with so much venom in his tone that it could kill the molecules in the air. "You have said yourself that these officers can achieve victories with unprecedented accuracy. Would it not be in your interest to invite them to our cause?"

"Not with this mess. I am not willing to endanger my life just to protect two outdated officers." Hux snarled but within a flash of orange, he was slammed towards the wall.

The noise bounced in the room for a few minutes before there was a distinct growl of hurt. Hux's vision wavered for a second before it focused and he narrowed his own blue eyes in defiance against Lynx's one gold eye and one other red eye. Phasma wanted to interfere but Trihorn grabbed her arm and pulled her back with a strength that she had not known he possessed.

Ren, however, watched bemusedly at the display while Mia was either scared for her sister or the General – she wasn't sure which. While Hux saw the hurt written in her gold eye, Lynx couldn't find a single pity mark on his blue eyes. She knew all Generals were like this, hard and unforgiving but in all the Generals she had met, she could find a dot of pity. On him, she couldn't find a single dot… Not a single sliver.

"Fear and protection are two different attributes, General." Lynx said in the gentlest voice ever, it caused her siblings to reel back in surprise. "Do you know which one, is in control now?"

Confusion crossed Hux's face especially when Lynx moved away and ran down the hall, slamming the door open in the first place.

"Lynx!" Trihorn called before gasping in surprise when red eyes dashed past, following Lynx down the hall. He immediately turned to Hux with eyes that could kill. "Go after her, Hux!"

"Why should I?" Hux scowled, rubbing the back of his head from the residual pain.

"Because if you don't." Trihorn's eyes seemed to glow in the dark when he articulated each and every word slowly. "I will let you know what true pain is without even trying."

The death threat was enough to send Hux running out the door, chasing after the troublesome girl. In all honesty, he shouldn't really care about her but Trihorn was a seasoned officer and the fact that he had a smuggler background meant that he should know how to inflict the worst pain. He stopped at an intersection and frowned as he had not noticed where Lynx or the abomination had gone to.

He scowled and started pacing, thinking of how to find the right path to Lynx. He suddenly remembered that these halls were remotely empty so he closed his eyes and released a breath to listen… Listen for the grinding noise and even though it was hard for him to make out which direction it came from, he decided to follow his instinct. There was only one place that a girl might go to have some privacy, her own office which was the destination set in his mind. As he got closer to the office, he could hear the grinding noise get louder and… It sounded passionate?

"Hey!" He found himself shouting despite his fear at the abomination.

 **"** **You!"** The General actually stumbled in surprise when the abomination yelled at him in such a normal non-distorted voice. **"** **You are unworthy of her!"**

"Who says?!" Hux growled when he noted that Lynx was trying hard not to cry. Her scar seemed to be glowing in the dark though but Hux managed to turn his attention back to the abomination.

 **"** **I know her worth is more than yours will ever be, General. You are unworthy of her beautiful soul."** It purred, caressing the left side of Lynx's cheek causing Hux to clench his fists.

"Leave her alone."

 **"** **Or what? We all know you are afraid of me."** The abomination smirked when Hux gritted his teeth. **"** **You can try to act tough, General. In the end, you are just a child who has never had a normal childhood."**

Fear overrode his confidence and he took a step back while it took a menacing step forward, eyes filled with glee. Hux suddenly felt like a little child again when his father approached him to beat him up. He could hear his little self, protesting against it and his flashback ended with his father, raising his hand to back hand him. He suddenly fell on his back but kept crawling away from the approaching death, heart wrenching in fear and horror. It chuckled at him, malicious intent flashing in its eyes before it was replaced by surprise when Lynx ran past him and grabbed Hux's hand, her gold eyes locked on the red ones in a defiant manner.

 **"** **Move!"**

"I will not be deterred by your orders. You have no control over me!" Lynx roared, her voice full of anger.

 **"** **He hurt your heart! Your very soul and you still protect him?"**

"It's better than feeling nothing but darkness. It made me feel human again and I will do anything to feel again." Lynx retorted with distaste in her voice which caused Hux to stare at her in awe.

 **"** **You are a fool to trust him. He will hurt you time and time again."** It scowled but Lynx wasn't fazed by it as she helped the General up and stood tall while giving off a commanding aura.

"I am Grand General Lynx of the Empire. I did not receive this rank through cheating. I received this rank due to my _uncanny_ abilities of leadership and intelligence surpassing that of an average human. If I did not _feel_ pain through my journey to this rank, then I am not a human worthy of it. I will never allow an abomination to strip away my rank or my dignity just to _worship_ me like I was a higher being which I am most certainly not. I am like a normal human being with little to no childhood and _definitely_ a temper that should not be messed with." Lynx snarled in a tone that meant 'you either listen or die'.

Hux's jaw basically dropped after Lynx's little outburst. So, this was the Grand General that his father was afraid of, the bounty hunter side of her that she hadn't shown until now. The abomination seemed taken back by her outburst before it roared and tried to kill them. Hux braced himself for the pain but it never happened as the abomination crumbled to dust before it even reached them. (A.N Like Freddy Krueger in Nightmare on Elm Street.) Hux and Lynx was finally able to breath properly before she let go of him and move away to enter her office. Hux stared at where the abomination was a second ago before he snapped himself out of it, just in time to see Lynx return with the blaster that was on display in her hands.

"I can't leave without this beauty." She smirked then tilted her head in the general direction of where the hangar should be. "Come on, the others are waiting and the oxygen in here is depleting."

Lynx casually held her right hand out which Hux stared at in complete surprise. Even after that feat, after what he had said, she was willing to trust him and protect him just like that? Suddenly, he heard a drip, like water hitting the floor but in this case, it wasn't water. It was blood… Lynx's blood so he grabbed her wrist and moved her sleeves up causing Lynx to flinch at the pain. Hux was quite surprised to see three deep scratch marks on her arm and it was bleeding profusely.

"Lynx…"

"It's nothing." Lynx said, looking away from Hux's blue eyes.

"Where's the first aid kit?"

"Look, Hux." Lynx sighed, looking back at the redhead. "We don't have time. The oxygen in the air can't sustain us any longer. In two minutes, we will start hallucinating from lack of oxygen. We have to go now."

Hux narrowed his eyes before he sighed and started walking down the hall towards the hangar, his gloved hand holding Lynx's light toned hand in a protective grip.


	3. Chapter 3

A.N. Updated the first two chapters so that it looks slightly nicer for mobile viewers. I don't how it will affect it though.

* * *

"Wow, what a threat." Mia smirked at Trihorn who blinked a few times to get rid of the glow in his eyes.

"Well, it was either that or I electrocute him with this." He held out a small device which looked like a razor but electricity ran through it instead of the blades. "We both know that they will kill us if I did."

"I probably won't." Ren muttered, slightly amused but it was hidden by the filter of his mask.

"Yeah, you and your little rivalry with that General. Seriously though, it is the only reason why you have not succeeded." Mia chuckled when Ren glared at her from under the mask.

"Anyways, we should probably head back to the shuttle. With the power turned off, the oxygen isn't being circulated and I don't want to start hallucinating the old glory days." Trihorn opened the door and started walking out followed by Phasma, Ren and Mia.

"You know I'm curious. Now that the Empire is gone, what would our ranks be considering we have to start over again?" Mia questioned.

"It is unlikely that you will have to start over. At most, you would be placed in the rank of Commander." Phasma answered.

"However, you will be joining me in the Knights of Ren considering you have the ability to control the force." Ren said towards Mia who pouted.

"But I like spy stuff."

"Hey, hold up." Trihorn turned around to face the group while walking backwards. "I thought your force powers were not that strong?"

"It isn't but I think the black hole had something to do with it." Mia shrugged. "You're the smart one and you didn't know?"

"Hell no." Trihorn chuckled, turning on his heel to face forward again. "While you and Lynx were stuck in cryo freeze, I was trying to study the black hole and came up with multiple theories. Towards the end, I guided the _X-factor_ towards the open portal. Speaking of which, I'm going to need to tow this baby to your base."

"It is not up to us to determine it." Phasma said while Ren just snickered.

"That can be arranged."

"You better. This baby is fitted with an upgraded deflector shield, a class one hyperdrive and four HR-IO4 rail guns… Those were not cheap to find nor make." Trihorn shivered as he relieved some memory before stopping in front of the hangar door. "This is where we wait for those two."

"So, I know you are hiding something from us." Ren spoke up after a minute of silence.

"Hmm? Hide what?" Trihorn asked innocently which caused Ren's suspicions to be true.

"Your mind wouldn't be as well shielded as it is now if you are telling us the whole truth." Ren pointed out and Mia let out a chuckle.

"Trihorn has safety precautions everywhere including his own mind. It's a death trap in there." Mia shrugged before continuing, "However, your suspicions are correct. We are hiding the truth to the uh… Bond, per se. Between us, the force is helping with the bond but with Lynx and Hux, it is more of a memory exchange more than anything. The thing is, those two have similar background."

"Not with you two though?" Ren questioned curiously and Mia scratched the back of her head.

"When we were younger, our parents separated us to keep us safe and well…"

"I was left with a smuggler who taught me his ways, Mia's foster parents were killed in an explosion leaving her to be a thief and Lynx was left with a bounty hunter which would explain our background." Trihorn said nonchalantly while Ren and Phasma exchanged glances.

"I see…"

"But hey, the past is in the past, right? When the Empire started, we were ready to join in the mess and got promoted really quickly. Like seriously, everyone was envy of us. I got my rank due to my strategic command and received this beast, the first of its kind. Lynx was super strict with punishment but she was also well liked by her peers which gave her that rank. Mia was just good at spying and eavesdropping. She reported spies to the ISB and Yularen himself invited her to join them so she did. It was one glorious day." Trihorn chuckled before his eyes became distant. "It all had to end someday…"

Mia put a hand on her brother's shoulder before looking at Ren and Phasma. "We all thought that if the Empire was to go down, we would go down fighting alongside our fellow Imperials but… The black hole came and suck us in. We never got to say goodbye."

Everyone was quiet after that, the two imperials were distant, lost in their own memories. It wasn't until the appearance of Lynx and Hux did they take on a serious demeanor. While Mia was finally able to see, Lynx could not which was why she still had to hold onto Hux's hand for guidance and she did not like it one bit. Mainly because she was used to being the leader, not the follower.

"Alright, Phasma and Ren will have plenty of oxygen in their mask to reach the shuttle which is how far from us?" Trihorn looked at the three First Order officers.

"Why do you need to know that?" Hux asked.

"So that he can math. He's been wanting to do that for the entirety of our hell. Don't ask." Mia added the last sentence quickly before Ren could ask.

"If so, about twenty meters." Hux shrugged.

"Alright," Trihorn took out a marker and started writing on the door. "So, twenty meters from here with less than ten seconds of oxygen, we will make it if we go now."

As soon as Trihorn ended the sentence, Lynx slammed a console beside her, scaring the First Order officers as they had not been expecting it. Trihorn grabbed Hux's arm to force the man to move while Mia grabbed Lynx's hand to guide her towards the shuttle. Ren and Phasma also ran towards the shuttle because they decided not to waste any more time. When they reached the shuttle, Trihorn slammed the controls causing the ramp to close and the oxygen to circulate in the shuttle allowing all four of them to gasp for air.

It was a close call since they were burning more oxygen by running. Mia and Lynx didn't even care anymore as they just collapsed on the floor of the shuttle. Trihorn's torso was sprawled on the console before he slid down to sit down on the floor while leaning on the wall. Hux, at first, was bent over with his hands on his knees but afterwards, he took a seat and tried to steady his breathing but also trembling form.

"I. Am never. Doing that. Again." Mia managed to say through gasps.

 **"Agreed."** Was the only collective reply that came while Ren rolled his eyes behind his mask as he and Phasma stood away from the four gasping officers.

"Who's going to pilot?" Ren questioned while Trihorn managed to climb into the pilot seat.

"I can." Trihorn replied, starting the engines of the shuttle. "My smuggling days have not left me."

"Just don't. Rock the shuttle." Lynx huffed before lying flat on the floor with her eyes closed.

"I promise I won't."

##

When the shuttle finally landed on board the _Finalizer_ , the six high ranking officers or three high ranking imps, two high ranking First Order officers and one First Order Captain stepped out of the shuttle with slight relief on their stance but alert and superiority nonetheless. Every officer and troopers on board the _Finalizer_ stood at attention to greet them and luckily, no one questioned why Lynx was holding onto Mia's hand. She was still blind and she hated every second of it. They decided to hold the meeting in Hux's office considering the General was dying for a drink after the whole fiasco on the _X-factor_. Phasma didn't join them though as she had to make sure the officers established a secure connection.

"So, we're going to meet your Supreme Leader first?" Trihorn tilted his head slightly while taking a seat on the couch, Lynx and Mia dropping beside him.

"Yes, very much so." Hux answered while walking towards the bar. He was indecisive on which alcohol to choose but decided to just go with his favorite.

"When and where would be my next question." Trihorn continued while Lynx and Mia rested their heads on his shoulder and he slung his arm around their shoulder in a protective manner.

"In about, five minutes I would say. Once we can get a secure line with him." Hux replied while popping the cap and poured it into a wine glass. "Would you like a drink?"

"Gotta keep my head straight for this negotiation. I'll take it later." Trihorn said quickly and held Mia down when she tried to ask.

"Very well." Hux nodded and took a swig, the acidic taste burning the back of his throat before he pointed at Lynx with his glass. "How long until she can see again?"

"Give it a week or two." Trihorn shrugged. "I don't really know how long it takes for thirty years."

Hux nodded rather sluggishly before silence fell over them. That was when Ren decided to speak. "Seeing as you are high ranking imperials… I am certain you have worked with Darth Vader?"

"Rarely." Trihorn grimaced at a memory. "I also prefer not to answer that question."

"Why not?" Ren questioned, his anger rising slightly.

"Vader is well… Put in simple terms and with no offence, a hothead. I don't like working with him because of his rash decisions but I do like the way he handles the rebels." Trihorn smiled slightly at a memory before it turned into a poker face again and he look at Hux, "How many swigs can you handle?"

"A little more than thirty bottles." Hux answered casually.

"Do you have Port in a Storm?" Trihorn asked.

"Sadly, no. I've been trying to get one just for a taste but could never find it." Hux said solemnly like it was a bad thing which to his eyes, it actually was and that caused Trihorn to chuckle.

"Lucky for you, I know some contacts of mine that sells them. It's a good thing I got to know their children or that would be bad."

"Yes, it would." Hux replied and took a shot, just in time as Phasma entered the office without bothering to knock.

"The connection has been secured, sir."

"Excellent." Hux put down his glass while the three imperials stood up. "Let's not keep the Supreme Leader waiting."

##

 _Authority and power._ That was the first thing Lynx sensed when she stepped into the room. She wished she was able to see how the Supreme Leader looked like or just everyone else in general but her eyesight was still recovering. That was a topic she was not going to throw away that easily. However, all complaining aside, she could feel a sense of fear creep into her heart while she held onto Trihorn's arm for guidance. When they finally stopped after what seemed like hours of walking, she gulped at the sudden silence. Supreme Leader Snoke, was it? She could tell that he was studying the three of them with extreme interest.

"Supreme Leader," Lynx turned her head slightly to sort of face General Hux who was somewhere to her left. "Your eternal wisdom has guided us to save three high ranking Imperial officials who will prove to be powerful assets for the First Order."

"Indeed, General."

 _Stars! That voice is so deep and intimidating._ Lynx gulped.

"Tell me, Agent Mia, are you strong with the force?"

Despite not being able to see her, Lynx could tell that Mia had tensed up. "Y- Yes, sir. My force abilities were enhanced during my time in the black hole."

"Interesting… And what of you, Grand Admiral Trihorn?"

"As far as I'm concerned, nothing of change. I still have my sense of humor and knowledge." Trihorn smirked but Lynx could feel a bit of displeasure from Snoke but it was masked well.

"Hm… And Grand General Lynx?" Lynx felt her breath hitch but she managed to return her composure quickly.

"I have lost my sight temporarily due to being in suspended animation but I can confirm that this will not hinder my ability to serve the First Order." Lynx answered with an assertive tone that sent Trihorn – who had been slouching slightly – to stand straighter and she felt everyone's approving gaze on her before they disappeared.

"You have proved to the Empire that you are more than capable of handling a couple rebel fleet with just a single vessel, one that is in state of disrepair."

"Speaking of which, I would like to make a request, sir." Trihorn interrupted and Lynx felt like face palming.

"You want to tug the vessel back to home base to repair it." Snoke deadpanned causing Trihorn's jaw to leave hanging and Mia along with Ren had to hold back a chuckle.

"Y- Yes… Please?" Lynx took a step away from her own brother after he said that.

She hated showing weakness and she wanted to gag at his sentence. She could tell Hux felt the same, considering the man wanted nothing but strength among his officers. She felt her shoulder brush someone else and knew it was Hux because she had heard him speaking from her left. She was quite surprised when Hux gripped her left wrist in a… Reassuring way? Was that even possible? She suddenly felt an alien feeling of fear and disgust which disappeared the instance it came. She wanted to look at Hux terribly but held it back.

"Your request has been accepted. However, I cannot spare the resources to repair your vessel nor the permanent home base for it."

"We are constantly on the move." Hux added while Lynx contemplated the situation.

"Do not worry, Supreme Leader. I have contacts of my own that can handle the situation." Trihorn assured.

"Very well. The First Order is very much like the Empire was." Snoke said before turning to Hux. "General."

"Yes, Supreme Leader?" Hux said and Lynx was unnerved at the sudden silence, probably because Hux still had his protective grip on her.

"You will determine Lynx's and Trihorn's ranks and their duties." Snoke finally said, ignoring the little show. "Ren, you will begin teaching Mia the ways of the dark side until she is brought to me."

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Ren bowed slightly.

"Do ensure that you do not get seen by the resistance." Snoke finished off before his massive holoform fizzled out as the connection ended.

It was only then did Lynx turn her body to look at Hux who quickly let go of her and moved away. She thought about saying something but decided against it and grabbed Trihorn's arm.

##

"Do you have anything remotely strong?" Trihorn asked while looking at the array of bottles on the shelf.

"You insult me with that statement." Hux scowled, taking another shot of wine. "I have every type of alcohol you could ever dream of."

"Except Port in a Storm." Trihorn deadpanned, grabbing Coreallian wine from the shelf. "Ah, how I missed you."

"I've tried getting them. Why don't you contact them now?" Hux questioned while Trihorn chuckled.

"It's night time for them. Besides, all my contact list was left on my flagship. I'm out of options." Trihorn poured the drink into a glass and was about to drink the glass when Mia snatched the bottle from the table. "Mia!"

"Too late." Lynx muttered as she heard the teen chug it down.

"She drinks?" Hux asked incredulously. "Isn't she too young?"

"She's twenty-eight years old." Trihorn replied with slight annoyance in his tone while he took a swig. "Although, if you add the thirty or so years in the black hole, she would be more than fifty-eight years old."

"But I thought-."

"She still looked young even before she entered the cryo tank. Even Yularen questioned her age when he met her. She was twenty when Yularen invited her. It was insane." Trihorn chuckled, taking another bottle and poured his drink.

"You truly are special." Hux chuckled, taking another shot before looking at Lynx. "Lynx, do you drink?"

"Yes, but Trihorn is determining the best drink for me." Lynx replied which caused Hux to raise an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Lynx is a little picky with her drinks. She prefers strong alcohol such as Port in a Storm or strong Caffeine drinks which you do not have... Oh wait." Trihorn opened a small fridge to see Trandoshan ale. "Hmph, you have this but not the former? Shame."

"Hey! I'm starting to lean towards Lieutenant Commander for you, Trihorn."

"Alright, I'll stop taunting." Trihorn chuckled, walking towards Lynx with the mug in his hand. "Hey, Mia?"

"What?" Said young adult was browsing through the shelf for something else to drink.

"Hands off." Trihorn scolded before taking his shot with Lynx.

"What for? She can drink any of them..."

"Thanks, General." Mia smirked, already opening another bottle of Coreallian Wine and chugged it down.

"Do you think we should tell him?" Lynx tilted her head slightly when Mia tossed away the bottle.

"Let them learn, sister. Let them learn."

~~The Next Day~~

"I regret letting her drink." Hux groaned while he sunk his face in his hands.

By the end of last night, Mia was so drunk that she was annoying everyone who was in front of her, including Storm troopers and officers. Ren had been so close to slicing her head off that if it wasn't for the interference Lynx and Trihorn, he would have. She was currently passed out in Hux's office couch as they still had yet to determine their quarters. Other than that, terms had to be set.

"Well, you're not the first one." Trihorn chuckled while leaning over Hux's desk, his two palms faced down on the desk to support his weight.

"Hopefully the last." Lynx grimaced while taking a sip from her ale, Mia's head on her lap and she was snoring loudly.

"There are a few terms that need to be set while we are on board the vessel, General. I'm hoping these terms meet with your own." Trihorn said, swiping a bit of dust leisurely from the young General's shoulder.

"Go on." Hux prompted, crossing his arms over his chest while Trihorn stood straight.

"Rule number one, we are so banning Mia from going near a cantina or having any caffeine again."

"Agreed." Hux and Lynx replied at the same time while eyeing the unconscious girl.

"Rule number two, we are so not going to call you sir, every time we see you. The same thing goes for Ren but that will be determined at later date because for now, he is a walking fuse that will not go out." Trihorn walked towards the bar. "Rule number three, do not disturb me while I am working unless you want to be shocked."

"Poor Ensign. He flew so far." Lynx chuckled along with Trihorn at some old memory.

"Rule number four, do not disturb Lynx when she oversleeps unless you want a broken nose."

"What a crunch. It still echoes in my mind." Lynx grinned at Hux who gulped.

"Our final rule is that we get to do whatever we want no matter what it is and that includes having lunch in the middle of the night with fellow officers who start crying on our shoulders. We still keep to our old rule and customs so we are unwilling to change. If you have a problem with it, then that's your problem." Trihorn finished by pouring himself another glass of Coreallian wine and gulped it down greedily. "Ah, I'm too addicted."

"Hm… Your terms can be met but in the face of work, I would expect you to have some decency in your attitude." Hux huffed slightly.

"Only in the face of battle. Then we will call you General or sir, depending on the situation at hand." Trihorn nodded, taking another sip. "Now, let's discuss about my flagship. Its power is similar to the _Finalizer_ but the _X-factor_ has more defense than attack. It can withstand twenty proton bombs without much of a flinch. I have scanned for any weaknesses more times than I can count. Therefore, if we are to repair my flagship, I will have to tend to it which means I won't be here to assist in battles."

"If we are ever going into another battle." Hux said in thought while Trihorn smiled.

"Do not worry, I doubt the… Resistance are doing anything. One other question though, where is Captain Phasma's quarters located?"

"On the third floor… Why do you want to know?" Hux raised an eyebrow at the man who was already taking long strides towards the door.

"I owe her an apology. I will be right back." Trihorn saluted slightly before disappearing from view.

"Perfect. I need to refill." Lynx sighed slightly before putting her mug on the coffee table.

"I'm not getting up from my seat. I don't think I can walk straight."

"And you said you could hold your liquor." Lynx smirked before her left hand started playing with Mia's long violet hair. "How many shots?"

"Thirty-five? I didn't keep track but I have finished five bottles." Hux said causing Lynx to chuckle.

"I think you should rest, General."

"Not until I finish doing this paperwork." Hux said before yawning.

"General, I know you want to impress Supreme Leader but you should not ignore your own health."

"Since when did you become my physician?" Hux scowled while Lynx carefully stood up from the couch to walk towards Hux.

"Since I became your inferior. I can't work for a dead corpse now, can I?" Lynx rolled her eyes and tried to vaguely guess where Hux was from the sound of his voice.

"I have been working like this before you even came. Besides, sleep is for the weak." Hux eyed her warily especially when she tried to stand behind his chair.

"Are you sure?" Lynx said with a smug tone while she slowly placed her hands on his shoulder. "I heard that sleep is like a new awakening. A new start to a new day."

"What are you trying to do?" Hux questioned before Lynx pinched a spot on his neck causing him to fall asleep and Lynx carefully placed his unconscious form to lie on the desk.

"I told you I would force you to sleep." She whispered into his ear with a small smile before returning to the couch. Mia was half awake when she felt her head being lifted by Lynx so that the older woman could take her seat.

"Is he finally asleep?" Mia questioned, opening her eye slightly to see Lynx nod. "Thank the force for that. He was so damn drunk and tired even his physician was complaining about his health."

"It happens to young Generals with high ambition." Lynx said solemnly before preparing to sleep. "I'm just lucky to not have such high of an ambition."

"We keep it in check."


	4. Chapter 4

Phasma had not expected a knock on her door at this time of hour. Most officers or troopers would be asleep by now except maybe General Hux. With that in mind, she quickly put on her chrome armor and opened the door to see Trihorn with a sheepish smile on his face.

"Grand Admiral." Phasma greeted.

"Relax, Phasma. I prefer you call me by my name. It is more… Suitable to me." Trihorn replied. "May I come in?"

"Certainly." Phasma moved out of the way and allowed Trihorn to enter.

Phasma's quarters was quite large with a personal shower, a comfy looking bed, and a desk to one side with a lamp. Trihorn was actually surprised at the size but didn't comment as she was a high-ranking officer. Instead, he turned on his heel to face Phasma who was standing at attention a few meters away from him.

"Sheesh, at ease Phasma. I'm not here to berate you or anything. This is just a friendly meeting. A friend to friend." Trihorn said, gesturing between himself and Phasma. "I'm just here to say sorry for acting the way I did on the _X-factor_."

That caused Phasma to tilt her head. "You are a high-ranking Imperial and you are apologizing to me?"

"Hey, I know I'm insane but you don't have to say it." Trihorn huffed before smiling slightly. "The thing is, if we are to work together, we must put aside all grudges so I'm sorry if I caused you any."

"The apology is not necessary as you are already forgiven." Phasma answered.

"Perfect! I'm going to go get another drink." Trihorn chuckled and was about to walk past Phasma but decided instead to stop and whisper in her ear. "By the way, I would like to see you without your helmet."

With a final mock salute, Trihorn walked out of the room leaving a baffled chrome storm trooper. Phasma no longer knew what to expect from the man. She could only hope that he wasn't going to disappoint the First Order.

~~1 month later~~

A whole standard month had passed since the rescue from the _X-factor_ and the escape from the black hole. Lynx was currently at the observation deck of the _Finalizer_ , she didn't know where exactly but the trooper said that she could see the stars from here. Now, you might be thinking, she's blind, she can't see the stars. Even the trooper who guided her here had asked that exact same question the first time she asked.

Back then, she really couldn't see but she just wanted to stare off into space or well, darkness. Although, just a week back during a spar with Captain Phasma, she was able to see. Granted it wasn't a full sight return, it was still something. It happened when Phasma managed to hit the left side of her head, just above her ear which caused her to fall to the ground.

When she did, a sort of ripple occurred and she could see the shape of her hands which surprised her. However, before she even had the time to study it, the ripples became constant and it came from Phasma who was about to hit her so she quickly rolled out of the way. When she stood back up, she saw her siblings towards one side as well as Hux and Ren in a separate room behind glass which caused her heart to leap.

She could _see_.

She also saw Phasma coming after her again so she quickly pushed all feelings aside and focused on blocking her attack. Too bad she lost her staff early on in the fight so she had to use her hands and she swore it was going to be painful as hell for the next few weeks which it was. She groaned at the memory but then smiled when she remembered sending Phasma to the ground in just two moves. The surprise radiating off of her and the gasp from her siblings really sent her told her a lot in the waves.

 _Echolocation._

That was what her brother had called it. It wasn't force sight or anything. It was vision through the ripple of molecules in the air to see the world in a black and blue. The shapes were outlined in blue with everything else in black which gave her a hologram type feeling whenever she looked at the world.

It was still weird in her mind but she had been trying to get used to it. She glanced behind her when she heard the door move to see General Hux making his way towards her. For the first time, she could see his features which caused her breath to hitch. She wasn't going to lie, the General looked…

 _You're staring._ She scolded herself and quickly look back at the stars.

She frowned on the inside but kept a cool look on the outside. To be honest, this wasn't actually the first time she could see his features. The first time she had her normal vision had been when she slammed him to the wall but back then she had been too focused in trying to find any pity mark in his bright blue eyes that the revelation didn't surprise her until now.

However, she could remember that his skin was pale and his hair was red in color which was easy enough to picture in her mind. Oh, how she missed colors like Trihorn missing his bottle of Coreallian wine. Speaking of that man, he had gone off to a separate planet that was housing his precious flagship.

"You wouldn't be able to see space with your special sight." Hux said and Lynx let out a chuckle.

"One can only hope."

"Only the rebels use hope." Hux scowled and Lynx just looked at him with an unamused look.

"Everyone has hope for something… What do you hope for?" Lynx tilted her head slightly while Hux just looked back at the stars.

"Hope to end the New Republic and Resistance." Hux answered albeit reluctantly.

"See? Everyone has hope whether it is good or bad." Lynx chuckled and looked back at the stars when Hux looked at her with a puzzled look.

"Why do you always think like that?"

"Like how?"

"You keep looking at both sides of the story."

"Blame Trihorn." Lynx sighed slightly. "I used to be a cynic but Trihorn's carefree attitude rubbed it off me. However, that's not to say that my cynical side has completely disappeared. Once my siblings leave my side, I will return to the bounty hunter I once was like it was a snap of a thread."

"What do you mean by that?" Hux tilted his head slightly at Lynx.

"I mean, when in proximity with my siblings, there is this bond… A force bond of some sort that contributes some differences and makes us equal. Before I met them, I was a bloodthirsty bounty hunter who wanted nothing more than to kill people to get my pay. I didn't care about collateral back then but now, I sort of do." Lynx explained before ending it with a hum.

"I see…" Hux nodded slightly before looking back at the stars.

Blissful silence fell over them and Lynx couldn't help but wished she could actually see the stars in the darkness. She wanted to experience the little things again. She had taken them for granted thirty or so years ago, she didn't want to do the same now. Although, now that she had limited vision, that didn't matter now.

 _Enjoy the little things,_ her mother had once told her before her death. _You never know when you might lose them to some kriffing abusive father and a black hole._

Her father… Or foster father to be honest, was the one who had beat her into submission and she followed his every order to her core, never once disobeying him in hopes of not getting punished. That was until he was fatally injured and she didn't even think twice while pulling the trigger to his head, ending his pitiful life. She took over his job after that and succeeded where he hadn't.

"We're more common than you realize." Lynx found herself saying and changed her face into confusion.

"What?"

"Nothing. I'm just musing." Lynx replied quickly and turned around to start walking towards the door. The automated door opened but before she could take another step, it slammed shut in front of her.

 _Courtesy of the General who apparently has some subtlety_ , she thought bitterly but didn't face the redhead.

He was studying her and she knew it but too bad, she wasn't going to say anything. She just stood still and after five minutes of complete silence, she tilted her head slightly to face him. She felt a change, a small ripple through the air that was barely noticeable but all her senses had heightened with the loss of her vision.

A voice suddenly whispered in her mind, _'Trust'_. The small change was trust?

"We are no different." Hux finally spoke and Lynx stared at the man but kept her mouth in a thin line. "Abusive fathers..." He removed his left glove and used his bare hands to trail Lynx's scar. "Our need for authority and control. To be the top of the command chain. I have no believe in fate but in this case, it was fate that brought us together."

 _How cheesy._ Lynx thought amusedly before noticing that Hux had gotten closer, his hot breath could be felt on her face causing her to blush and her heart to race.

Just as Hux was about to close the distance between their lips, the door suddenly opened and the two immediately jumped away from each other in surprise. Standing at the door was a more than baffled Mia who immediately smirked when she realized that she had walked into something.

"Not a word." Hux spat while the small adult just crossed her heart.

"No one except Ren and Trihorn."

"Sis…" Lynx warned but Mia just shook her head.

"You can never trust me with secrets, sister. Especially when I plan to drink!" She laughed and ran down the hall while Lynx blinked twice before realizing the spy's words.

"Mia! Get your kriffing butt back here, you son of a bantha!"

"I've called dibs!"

"They can truly be an annoyance." Hux sighed before his lips tugged into a small smile. "And an amazing distraction."

~~Moments ago~~

The modified _lambda-_ shuttle which Phasma immediately recognized as Trihorn's – the man had some issues – landed on the hangar bay of the _Finalizer_ , in the exact time Trihorn had estimated he would arrive.

 _The man seriously had issues_ , Phasma thought again when the ramp lowered.

Without even waiting for the smoke to disappear, Trihorn walked down the ramp with a single bottle in his hands. Phasma immediately stood at attention, knowing that Trihorn was a rank higher than her.

"Admiral." Phasma greeted and Trihorn nearly fell on his back.

"For Force's sake, Phasma. Use my name." Trihorn scowled but a smile still formed on his lips.

"Apologies, I have been ingrained with the training much like you have with your customs." Phasma replied wittily which caused Trihorn to smirk.

"Oh, developed some sarcasm have you now?"

"You can thank your sister for that." Phasma grimaced under the mask, not liking the memory one bit. Still, having another female was like a reawakening. She could do the 'girl talk' with Mia and Lynx which was always enlightening.

"Heh, I told you a little company is overdue. For now, I need my own company. Tell General Hux that I have finally found a crate of Port in a Storm. Such liquor was not easy to find and I had to go through nearly thirty of my contacts to get it." Trihorn said while showing the liquor bottle in his hands.

"Right away, sir- Trihorn." Phasma corrected herself when Trihorn glared at her.

"That won't be necessary." The both of them turned their heads towards Mia who was walking towards them.

"Hey, sis." Trihorn greeted and Mia did a small bow to greet him. "I see your training is paying off."

"Without your carefreeness – if that is even a word – I have become more disciplined in addition to Ren's training. I feel like falling into the ocean and letting it drift me a sea." Mia frowned slightly before seeing the bottle of alcohol. "You've got to be joking."

"Go call them now. I will wait for you in Hux's office." Trihorn said quickly when he saw the fire in her eyes. No way in the Malachor was he going to give this to her.

"Aw…" Mia pouted but eagerly ran down the hall to find Hux and possibly Lynx as well.

Meanwhile, Trihorn and Phasma journeyed to Hux's office after the Admiral gave orders to bring the crate of alcohol to storage where he will slowly bring it up to the General's office. He cannot let Mia see that thing, it will drive everyone on board insane and that would not do when you have limited resources. When they arrived at the office, Kylo Ren was already seated on the couch, looking as relaxed and intimidating as ever.

"Greetings Ren." Trihorn greeted casually.

"You do not have the privilege to call me that." Ren said monotonously and the sentence was more of friendly banter than anything.

"Oh, I have all rights. You are outside of the hierarchy going on around this place. I even called Vader that and he said nothing." Trihorn retorted while putting the bottle on the bar. "By the way, are you going to try? I probably won't give to Phasma, if you don't want to remove your helmet that is."

"It's too strong for my liking." Ren replied.

"So, you've tried?"

"No. My father told me about it." Ren said before brooding which Trihorn was having none of.

"Hey, I'll let you try a sip. I'm letting Hux only drink half because one shot is too much for a man like him." Trihorn said and Ren chuckled slightly.

"So, you think he cannot handle it?"

"Trust me, no one can handle this but Lynx, Mia and I have Pamarthe blood in our systems. I figured it out when I took a whole bottle and realized that everyone else was staring at me like I was bantha fodder." Trihorn smirked before pouring a cup and that was when Lynx and Mia burst through the door.

Lynx managed to tackle the smaller female who fell on her stomach and yelped in pain. Mia struggled to get back up but Lynx had a lot more strength to pin her down by placing her left hand on Mia's neck while her left knee was on Mia's back. The smaller adult growled at her sister before looking at Trihorn with pleading eyes.

"Bro! Help!" She yelled to Trihorn who looked at her with one raised eyebrow.

"Force no. The last time you drank this, more than ten people committed suicide _including_ my own sanity. There is no way I'm letting you drink this while you are being surrounded by allies." Trihorn scowled causing Mia to pout and stop flailing, just in time as Hux entered the room.

"I take it she stopped?"

"Nope. She'll probably try again which is why I require Phasma to hold her down." Trihorn motioned with his head towards the chrome storm trooper who stepped in and copied what Lynx had done to hold her down.

"For how long do I have to hold this position?" Phasma questioned.

"Five minutes." Trihorn told her before giving the half-filled wine glass to Hux while he gave a smaller dot to Ren who hesitated in opening his helmet. "Sorry Hux, I estimated that you can only handle half of it."

"You dare insult my drinking abilities?" Hux growled but Trihorn held his hand up in defense while Lynx poured two glass full of Port in a Storm.

"No Hux. I have seen men who drink fifty bottles of Coreallian wine fall flat on their face with one shot of Port in a Storm. To say the least, you will feel half-drunk after drinking this and we need you to not have a massive hangover tomorrow." Trihorn defended himself before looking at Ren who had removed his helmet.

Mia's jaw dropped at the sight of his scar, not as intimidating as Lynx's but it was still nasty looking. She quickly closed her mouth before anyone could notice her staring. That didn't matter though as Lynx and Trihorn had expected her to do so causing them to grin at each other. However, they didn't push on that topic and instead continued the casual conversation.

"I would listen to him, Hux." Lynx piped up, giving a glass to Trihorn while she raised her own. "To the success of the First Order."

They clinked their glasses before taking the shot and Hux immediately swayed at the effects. Ren had to blink a couple of times to remove the blurriness from his vision but needless to say, the both of them were already drunk. Ren quickly took a seat on the couch and leaned back to rest his head while the room around him spun.

Lynx decided to refill her glass while Trihorn guided Hux to his seat. The General was really swaying and he still had to discuss some stuff with him. So, he decided to wait and watch in silence until five minutes had passed and Phasma was allowed to get off of Mia. Lynx and Trihorn immediately guarded the bottle but Mia was not interested in that and instead focused on a slightly drunk Ren.

Even through the blurriness of his vision, Ren was somehow able to focus onto the approaching small adult. He kept a straight face even as Mia knelt down in front of his sitting position and trailed the scar. He had to hold down a shiver that was threatening to expose itself at the gentle, warm touch.

"Phasma, would you like to try?" Lynx asked the chrome trooper who hesitated.

"I am not sure-."

"We're all your superiors here so I suggest you obey." Trihorn smirked slightly as he had waited a whole month to see Phasma out of her helmet.

Phasma hesitated once again but the look from Trihorn's dark blue eyes caused her to obey. Slowly but surely, she removed her helmet with relative ease and swung her hair back. Trihorn's eyes widened and he felt his jaw drop before Lynx closed it for him harshly, snapping him out of his stare.

Phasma, for a storm trooper, had very fair skin and neck-long blonde hair with bright blue eyes. Lynx gently passed a wine glass which only had a drop, just to see if Phasma could handle it. Trihorn thought Phasma would at least show some signs of blushing or something but there was no redness on her fair toned cheek.

 _Damn, she's tough._ Trihorn thought with a smile and watched as Phasma tried out the powerful alcohol. _Too bad she can't handle the liquor._

"Careful!" Trihorn managed to catch her on time before she fell on the ground and her eyes were spinning.

"Apparently, she doesn't drink." Lynx stated while Trihorn carried Phasma, one hand under her back while the other under her knees.

"I guessed that much. Ren, move aside." Trihorn told the Knight who stood up with the help of Mia and took a seat on the cantina chair.

Trihorn gently settled Phasma on the couch and placed her helmet on the coffee table before going to Hux who was holding his head in his hands. Lynx was about to take a sip from her newly refilled glass when Trihorn snatched it from her. She frowned before grabbing the secondary glass of filled alcohol and took a couple of sips then while watching Trihorn approach the drunk General. She pitied him because this stuff was really very strong but she quickly pushed that thought aside before she could dwell on it as Trihorn was talking.

"Are you up for a discussion, General?" He said with a certain tone that said he meant business.

"I don't think I can." Hux muttered and Lynx could barely hear him. "I've never been this drunk."

"Well, this is true alcohol." Trihorn chuckled before he looked at Hux pitifully. "I'll let you rest. Tomorrow, I want to discuss about my flagship and its progress."

"Very well." Hux made a motion to stand up but Trihorn leaned over the desk to force him to sit back down.

"You cannot walk back to your quarters in your condition." Trihorn said before turning around. "Mia! Get the kriff away from there!"

"So close!" Mia pouted when Lynx moved the bottle away from her.

"Mia, hands off unless you want to float aimlessly in space." Lynx scowled and the young female only pouted again.

"I wan~!" Mia whined which caused Trihorn's right eye to twitch.

"No whining for force's sake."

"I want it!"

"Now she's being childish." Lynx huffed before seeing Ren pull the small female closer towards him in a sort of hug.

"Mia, behave if you will. You are giving Master a headache." Ren purred into her ear causing Mia to pout but she listened to him.

"I think I've finally gone insane." Trihorn's eye twitched again.

"You're not the only one."

~~The Next Day~~

"Absolutely not!" Hux yelled before Trihorn could even finish his statement.

At the very morning, Hux had called Trihorn to come and discuss about his flagship. Trihorn had been reluctant because the bed was so comfortable after sleeping in a cot for so long but the General basically demanded for him to come. It was a bad idea on Hux's part as it only increased his hungover pain tenfold.

Other than that, when Trihorn entered the office, he had seen Hux being so pale – paler than usual like he was a ghost – he had thought of just turning away to let him rest but then he turned on his heel again and stopped at Hux's call. Then came the long discussion where Trihorn tried to pull up all his forgotten political tactics.

"Hux, just ten percent, come on."

"Supreme Leader has said not to spare any resources to your repairs. Especially the material you are asking now which is nigh impossible for us to get!"

"Where is Lynx when you need her?" Trihorn asked himself before sighing. "Hux, the _X-factor_ is one of the best defense vessel ever created since the Empire. If we are to have a fully working vessel that can handle over twenty proton bombs or whatever the Resistance has to offer, it would be a great addition to the fleet. Think of it. You only have one _Resurgent_ -class battle cruiser and two worn down ISDs. Thus, having the _X-factor_ will be beneficial especially when the _Finalizer_ can focus solely on attack to destroy our enemies."

Hux stayed quiet for a while as he thought through Trihorn's retort. The older man could only hope that Hux would agree considering the current dilemma they were having. The Resistance were still AWOL – in their eyes anyway – and have not been doing anything to show that they are either rebuilding or training more troops.

Trihorn was slightly worried about that and he knew the young General was as well because great minds think alike. However, they couldn't really do anything about it as Supreme Leader had not given any new orders. He wondered what the Supreme Leader was doing anyway.

"Five percent." Hux finally spoke and Trihorn blinked to get the numbers in his head.

"Nine."

"Eight."

"Deal." Trihorn nodded and held out his hand which Hux shook, sealing the deal.

"The materials will be transported to your shuttle by tomorrow."

"That won't be necessary." Trihorn smiled slightly before the two men turned their heads towards the door as Lynx walked in.

"We're about to reach Mandalore."

"What are we doing here?" Hux questioned and the other two just smiled.

"Come aboard Ren's shuttle. We've got politics to settle."


	5. Chapter 5

"Welcome gentlemen and ladies, to the world that I call my home." Lynx said, guiding Hux and Ren down the clan hall.

Hux and Ren exchanged glances while Phasma stayed behind with the troopers to guard the shuttle. Trihorn glanced back at Phasma worriedly before steeling himself and faced forward, head held high with pride. Lynx had her special blaster in her hands while walking down memory lane. This was where she was raised from a weak little child to an intimidating figure.

Every other Mandalorian moved out of the way and several sent glares at the officers. However, neither dared to glare at Lynx or even whisper in her presence and some gasped in surprise at the sight of her. Instead, they followed the little group into the clan hall where a possibly one-hundred-year-old lady was seated on the throne but despite her age, she still looked young.

She had a red and black Mandalorian armor on without the helmet so that she could show her graying hair and dull brown eyes. However, those eyes lit up at the sight of Lynx who knelt down in front of her. Trihorn held Hux and Ren back before the two could step up the stairs.

"At long last! The _Apărător_ has returned!" Clan mother yelled while others behind them cheered.

" _Apărător_?" Hux asked.

"Guardian, protector or champion of Clan Piro, House Blood. She received this position a long, long time ago." Trihorn explained before looking forward with pride at seeing Lynx get praised by everyone.

"It is about time you return to us." Clan Mother Numri smiled softly while holding onto Lynx's shoulders who had stood back up, head held low in respect.

"Thank you, Clan Mother. I was unfortunate to get sucked into a black hole."

"Yet, you are fortunate enough to return to us when others would have given up."

"I did not do it alone. I had my siblings but also the First Order officers retrieved us from our broken vessel." Lynx gestured towards the two men who stepped forward.

"First Order, hm?" Numri's stance went cold. She was studying the two men before her but a small whisper from Lynx got her smile to return, however slight. "I thank thee for saving the _Apărător_ but I cannot dwell on your political reasoning for an amalgamation."

"Clan mother... They will prove useful to us." Lynx protested.

"True but we are weak after the civil war that has raged between us, _Apărător_. Surely, you would know some of them."

"Of course, Clan Mother." Lynx said and was about to continue until Hux cut in.

"If I may," He cleared his throat slightly when Numri glared at him. "The First Order doesn't need your resources or your army. We just require a temporary base of operations until we can determine our next course of action."

"Hm... I will have to discuss this with the other clan leaders. Lynx, you may escort them to their quarters." Numri looked at Lynx who nodded.

"Yes, Clan Mother." Lynx bowed towards her leader before turning on her heel towards the door and started walking first before the others joined her. Just as she was about to take a step outside, Numri spoke again.

"I see that you kept your father's favorite weapon." She said and Lynx stopped in her tracks, her shoulders tense which allowed Ren to try and probe her mind but was suddenly shoved out of it roughly.

"This is no longer his weapon and I do not wish to talk about him ever." Lynx growled slightly before walking out the door at a slightly faster pace, the others following suit.

It was a long while before Trihorn broke the silence, "Her foster father. That was who Clan Mother was referring to. She doesn't know that he isn't her real father as that was what everyone here perceives it to be."

"So, he gave her that blaster?" Ren asked.

"No, she stole it from his cold dead hands. The weapon is odd and that's coming from me." Mia said before they stopped when Lynx did.

She tapped a keypad to her right before a door opened and Trihorn pushed the two men inside. "Apologies for the lack of personal rooms but I'm sure you can share?"

"No." The two men replied after taking a quick glance at each other.

"Too bad." Mia smirked and closed the door shut, locking it from the outside so that those two couldn't protest.

"I'd pick Mia over you." Ren growled after a moment causing Hux to scoff.

"So, you do have feelings for her."

"Careful. Mia might like you but I do not." Ren glared at the redhead while taking off his helmet.

"The feeling's mutual." Hux said, taking a seat on the rather comfortable bed. "That being said, have you made a move on her?"

"We don't have the time between training and other work. Other than that, she doesn't seem interested, much to my dismay." Ren sighed softly and took a seat on his bed.

"I would disagree. From what I've witnessed, she is the type to eagerly try to form a relationship."

"Hmph, what would you know?"

"I keep track of the three of them on the vessel. They have been getting to know the officers on board the _Finalizer_ and if I am not mistaken, the crew's mood seemed to have increased tremendously. I have yet to determine how this will affect our upcoming battles but there has been a definite change in the atmosphere. Petty arguments are no longer a concern of mine as they seem to take care of that very well." Hux said while taking off his coat.

"What else?" Ren questioned while slouching forward, resting his arms on his knees and faced Hux.

"They have a pattern in their work." Hux said after eyeing the First Knight curiously but also cautiously. "Trihorn, when not spending time repairing his flagship, spends most of his time in the engineering department and the bridge. Lynx, when not training the storm troopers or dealing with discipline, spends her time in the bridge or the observation deck. Mia, when not training with you, can be seen roaming the halls of the crew's quarters or spending time in the cafeteria. This is the routine that they have stuck to probably since gaining their flagship which makes sense once you study it and find their offices in those different places."

"Which makes them efficient and dangerous in the eyes of the enemy." Ren concluded and Hux nodded.

"Correct. I think this is why Supreme Leader has told us to keep them out of sight until they have recovered from their little time in the black hole. However, it would seem that the only recovery time we required is for Lynx's vision. Trihorn and Mia are already so comfortable that we can already begin our attack."

"However, Supreme Leader has not given us any new orders to do so."

"It seems that we are at a lost." Hux sighed before the door opened.

"Clan Mother would like to see the both of you." Lynx said and the two men nodded, with Ren putting his helmet back on.

##

"This is a waste of time." Hux grumbled, folding his arms across his chest and sunk down in his seat, no longer caring how formal he looked.

Eight hours. Eight kriffing hours of negotiations and the Mandalorians are still unable to come up with an answer. A permanent answer for such a simple request. It was really grinding on his nerves and it didn't help that he was still recovering from his hungover. Maybe he should have taken his rest.

He felt someone put their hands on his shoulder causing him to tense but then it became a sigh of relief as said hands started massaging his aching shoulders. However, he quickly moved away from the display of weakness and turned around to face Lynx who looked just as annoyed as he was.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hux asked.

"Massaging, what else? I'm bored and you look very tired. Courtesy of the alcohol, I presume?" Lynx smiled softly at Hux who scoffed.

"What else?" Hux retorted and leaned back on his seat again while Lynx continued massaging his shoulders. Hux was still tense but after a while, he started to relax since everyone else were busy discussing.

"Showing weakness in the midst of a meeting is a bad sign, General." Ren took his designated seat beside the General after discussing something privately with Trihorn.

"This is my domain, Ren. Any weakness shown by individuals under my protection are kept as a secret never to be spoken. Most know it is best to forget about it unless they want to be humiliated." Lynx smiled softly at Ren while continuing to massage the General.

"I would have just killed them."

"Now that's the easy way out, Ren. You want them to feel true pain, _true_ embarrassment at disclosing such a personal information that can be used for blackmail. Mandalorians have a high regard for honor and pride, thus, such humiliation will scar them for life." Lynx smirked when one of the Mandalorians who had been watching them quickly looked away as Lynx made eye contact.

"Are you two done? I would like to discuss on other matters." Trihorn yawned and stretched his arms while taking his seat to the left of Lynx. "Still recovering, General?"

"Yes." Hux replied and tried to keep his voice commanding but Lynx was really doing a good job in massaging. He might just switch her job to do this for him every day.

"You can try but that will lead to rejection." Mia smirked at Hux while taking her seat behind Ren but to the right of Lynx.

"What thing?" Lynx queried her sister.

"He wants to make you his personal massager." Mia said before Hux could tell her to shut it.

"Hah, no." Lynx deadpanned and stopped massaging Hux to relax in her seat.

"I don't mean it literally." Hux told her.

"Right, sure you don't." Lynx scowled before adding, "This meeting is dragging out."

"You just noticed?" Trihorn joked before yawning again. "I seriously need to do something else. Lynx, can you end this meeting already?"

"Fine." Lynx huffed and stood up, her head held high while she spoke, "Clan leaders! I believe this discussion is dragging out to the expense of _our_ limited time. You all have your different opinions but let me tell you that if we do _not_ have a collective vote, I will leave this planet _and_ my ties here for good. You all know that there is no better _Apărător_ than me. Thus, _make_ your decision wisely."

"The _Apărător_ has spoken. _Yay_ or _nay_?" Clan Mother looked at the other clan leaders who discussed among themselves before they collectively shouted.

 _"Yay!"_

"Then it is decided. The First Order is allowed to build their base here but be warned, if the New Republic or Resistance arrive, we will not defend you." Numri said firmly.

"Neither are you allowed to disclose our location." Lynx added and everyone else nodded causing Hux to sigh in relief.

It was finally over.

"Come on, General." Trihorn tapped Hux on the shoulder who stood up along with Ren and left the room, followed by Lynx, Trihorn and Mia.

"I think I'm just going to collapse on my bed." Mia said and received collective agreements except from Lynx. "Sis, what are you going to do?"

"Take a walk." Lynx muttered in thought which caused Trihorn to take a step to the side.

"Go ahead, sister. We'll be in our room probably snoring." Trihorn motioned for Lynx to move down the other hallway and she did so.

Hux stopped in his tracks and watched her walk down the hall, his heart urging for him to go comfort her. However, Clan Mother Numri called him and he reluctantly moved away to go with her onto a balcony. He realized that the balcony was overlooking the garden which looked like a massive maze. He also saw Lynx enter the maze and he wondered what she was doing there.

"You are quite young for a General." Clan Mother said and Hux nodded.

"That's what everyone has told me so far."

"Yet, you have the potential to become something greater. I have seen many things in my life, General. However, never have I seen an _Apărător_ of Mandalore choose others over her own people."

"There's a first time for everything." Hux mused while watching Lynx turn a corner of the maze.

"You misunderstand. An _Apărător_ is a title _not_ given so lightly. Even while serving the Empire, Lynx has done everything in her power to keep Mandalore safe. Her loyalty towards her home has never wavered even as she killed her father." Numri said, just as Lynx came to a stop at a certain dead end of the maze.

"Lynx has briefly mentioned that her father abused her and she followed his every order but she hasn't told me how she got the upper hand over him." Hux looked at Numri expectantly.

"We all have our differences. Lynx knew that in order to be stronger, only her father can teach her the ways which was the only reason why she listened to him. When she found him fatally wounded after a battle against our rival clan, she knew that she had learned enough and had tolerated more than it was required to learn. So, she shot him and in those eyes, there was nothing but utter hatred and disgust towards the man who had protected her. Even as she returned with her father's body, her eyes were no longer dull and a fire had settled behind them." Numri told Hux who stared at Lynx.

He noticed that her father's grave was there in the maze and she was currently standing in front of it. He couldn't tell what was going on other than her stance being that of neutrality. He wondered if she felt remorse for that day but she had asked them to never mention her father again. While he was curious, he knew it was best not to get on the bad side of a Grand General. She still held that rank to her heart and nothing can make her let it go.

"You love her, don't you?" Numri said, cutting through Hux's thoughts like a vibroknife.

Hux stayed quiet for a while before he answered, "Yes, I do."

"Has she reciprocated the feelings?"

"Isn't that personal?" Hux looked at her with one raised eyebrow.

"A clan mother keeps all personal information in a vault. I am merely curious but if you do not wish to share it with me, that is fine."

"No. I just- She hasn't really returned them." Hux sighed softly while Numri hummed.

"If it's any consolation, she does love you. She has a funny way of showing it, much like her siblings. Have you noticed their sibling relationship?"

"No…"

"In the eyes of a stranger, one would think that their relationship is poor. Their arguments and sometimes, their fights can get out of hand but that is what makes them stronger. They settle their differences in the blink of an eye and they go back to doing whatever it was like it never happened. Then, there are the times where they show their true feelings for each other through hugging or helping one another… Even celebrating together."

"Like the time where we drank together…" Hux found himself muttering subconsciously and Numri nodded at his sentence.

"That is how they show their true feelings, through actions. They are busy people, much like you but they know when and where to show their affections where no one else can use it to their advantage. Why do you think she gets close to the officers and troopers on board their vessel? To see if they are trustworthy enough to learn of their secrets. You were given that opportunity very early on and you, along with the force wielder have succeeded."

"Then, why did she openly show her weakness in the meeting hall?"

"She is a very respected and honored individual in the clan. No one wants to provoke her unnecessarily." Numri said.

"I see." Hux agreed before looking at Lynx who pointed her blaster in the air and fired a shot.

Then, she lowered her blaster and started making her way towards the exit of the maze. Hux tilted his head slightly, curious at the display and he was about to ask Numri about it when she disappeared from his sight.

 _She must have walked off when I wasn't looking,_ he thought before taking one final glance at Lynx. _You truly are special._

##

"I did not sign up for this." Mia sighed when Ren grabbed her hand and pulled her into his room which was supposed to be shared with General Hux… Personal quarters were still not established yet for the duo.

"I prefer staying with you than the redhead." Ren said while locking the door behind him.

"That's mean." Mia smirked slightly when Ren took off his mask and looked at her with a pointed look.

"You do not care for the General as much as you think."

"Aw, that's cute." Mia chuckled before looking at the bed. "You don't hate him as much as _you_ think."

"That is an understatement."

"Oh no, it's a fact." Mia grinned while taking a seat on the bed. "Your mind is a book to me and I have full access to its contents."

"Yet, you do not trust me with your memories." Ren tilted his head slightly at Mia who just stared blankly at him.

"Trust isn't so easily earned, even with the force helping this bond." Mia stated then laid down on the bed. "You would have to earn my trust to gain access to all my memories."

Ren was silent for a few minutes before he walked up towards the bed and sat down beside Mia's leg. She didn't try to move away when he did. Instead, she frowned at him, knowing full well that Sith are not supposed to make attachments. However, she didn't dwell on that thought when her eyes drifted over his scar again.

She had concluded that it was done by a lightsaber and she had dug into his mind rather stealthily – which was her forte – to back up the claim. Ren couldn't stop her, she had seen all his memories without him even noticing. In fact, she had seen everyone's memories without anyone noticing except Snoke. She couldn't penetrate his mind and she didn't want to. Something about him didn't bode well for her.

"You're just as your records say you are…" Ren said and Mia blinked slightly to get it through her head.

"My records? Oh, they know nothing." Mia huffed slightly. She had seen the contents of the records and to say the least, it was an insult to her performance. She had done more than what was stated.

"When are you going to rectify that?" Ren asked softly and Mia knew that she was either being led into a trap or had already stepped in it.

"Never." She said and continued at Ren's confusion, "I don't care about my records as much as I care about being subtle, unknown. Trihorn and Lynx wants the same."

"The force bond, I'm assuming?"

"Half-correct, they are more of smart-ass and intimidation than being subtle. We are all different, but my siblings and I are one of the same in close proximity despite coming from different backgrounds and different duties."

"I see."

"Now, I would get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be a long day." Mia yawned before snuggling in her blanket and closed her eyes.

Ren stared at her and was about to remove a strand of hair from her face when he stopped himself. He frowned before standing up and walked towards his bed. At first, he stared at Mia and then he stared at the ceiling in thought. He wanted to show Mia that he loved her and although love fueled the dark side, it also fueled the light.

A conflicting matter on his end but that didn't mean he was going to give in to it so easily. However, being alone for so long, made him want to be loved again and to love someone else. His mind eventually wondered to his mother and that was when he pulled himself out of his musings and went to sleep, not realizing that Mia had been listening to his thoughts.

##

"Ah, kriff. I swear this shuttle is giving me more problems than it was worth." Trihorn grumbled while setting in some wires here and there to improve Ren's personal _Upsilon_ shuttle.

He had hated the speed while leaving the _Finalizer_ and was now taking the time to improve with the little tools that he had. He only wished he had studied the schematics fully before tampering with it. He was impatient though and he had nothing else to do to stop his fingers which was itching to do something…

"Trihorn."

"Kriff!" Trihorn hit his head on the underside of the shuttle before pushing himself out of his comfortable position to see Phasma standing in beside him with her blaster in her hands.

"Apologies but shouldn't you be resting?" Phasma continued.

"I can't. My fingers are itching to do work." He replied before going back under the shuttle. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?"

"I have been tasked to watch the shuttle."

"Not required. You can take your rest, you know. The Mandalorians can look after it."

"I do not answer to you. My task still stands." Phasma retorted and Trihorn pulled himself out again to look at her with one raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry, why do you not listen to me?" He asked while getting up and walked over to a desk containing his tools and drink.

"General Hux is the only superior I listen to other than Lord Ren." She replied monotonously.

"And I'm not? You wound me." Trihorn huffed with a slight smirk on his face while he drank his water.

"You do hold the same position as General Hux but you are in control of the navy fleet. He controls the army including me while Lord Ren controls both sides."

"Good point." Trihorn nodded and went back to his work. "I don't suppose you're just going to stand there and watch me, are you?"

"Yes."

"Stalker."

"I thought you were mature." Phasma countered and Trihorn laughed at the statement.

"Blame my smuggler side." He grinned before cursing when a spark nearly hit his face.

"Are you okay?"

"Fine and dandy, Phasma." He replied quickly while getting the situation under control which he managed to two minutes later. "Too close."

"What are you doing anyway?"

"Improving his shuttle. I swear I nearly died when I noticed the speed this thing was travelling." Trihorn grimaced at the memory before closing the panel and pulled himself out.

"It is quite fast compared to others."

"Oh force no. This speed can be compared to a super star destroyer. My shuttle can go way faster than that." Trihorn said while grabbing a rag and cleaned his face. "Do you want to have lunch?"

"You mean dinner."

"Right, dinner." Trihorn clicked his tongue before looking to his left. "The shuttle can be left to some capable hands. Let's go grab something to eat."

"Very well." Phasma agreed as her stomach had been grumbling ever since they landed.

"I have to say something. Since Mia and Ren are sharing a room, Lynx and Hux being elsewhere, where will you be sleeping?"

"In one of the spare quarters. If not, the shuttle." Phasma replied causing Trihorn to stop in his tracks.

"There's no way in Malachor am I letting you sleep there. I have a spare bed in my room. You can take the extra." He said.

"That will not be necessary."

"What did I say before? I am your superior so you will listen to me." Trihorn smirked when Phasma's stance faltered slightly before she gripped her blaster tighter.

"Very well."


	6. Chapter 6

~~Two days later~~

"I won't be gone for long." Trihorn told his siblings who hugged him.

"When will you be back?" Mia asked, her voice sounding childish as she could feel a part of her detaching itself.

"I can't give you a definite answer but hopefully in sixteen hours. Don't wait for me." Trihorn tapped Mia's nose with his right index finger causing the small female to push him away playfully.

"We won't." Lynx said for Mia who was smiling.

"Don't go too far, Lynx." Trihorn addressed the older sister who hesitantly nodded.

"I'll try but it's a promise I cannot keep."

"Do it for me." Trihorn muttered before saluting at Hux and Ren, the former saluting back. "Hopefully the _X-factor_ can drive."

"You did not just jinx it." Lynx deadpanned while Trihorn ran up the shuttle.

"I just did!" He yelled just in time as the ramp closed.

"Idiot." Mia muttered and the five of them watched as the shuttle left the bay. "I sometimes wonder if he'll learn."

"Probably not. Then again, up for some eavesdropping?" Lynx held out a bottle of Port in a Storm with a smirk causing Mia to gasp.

"Give me!"

"We are not giving that to her." Hux stated rather irritably but that only caused Lynx's smirk to widen while dodging Mia's attempts to grab the bottle.

"Hold on, sister. Our rival, House Vizla is to the North. So, take this bottle and eavesdrop. Make sure you do not get spotted." Lynx ordered.

"Yes!" Mia yelled eagerly and grabbed the bottle before running towards the North, popping the bottle cap open in the meantime.

"Are you sure about this?" Ren asked while watching Mia rather amusedly.

"Very. Alcohol helps her in those missions. Now, what say you about planning for the next move?" Lynx questioned the three officers who nodded.

"Of course. Lead the way to the conference room."

##

"Hux! That's just ridiculous! Have you learned nothing from the Empire?!"

Lynx was furious. Not as furious as Ren but you could definitely see why people rarely get on her bad side. She looked like she was about to kill something or someone without hesitation. However, Hux did not want to stand down which was not a good sign.

"Starkiller base was successful and this one will prove to be so as well!" Hux huffed and crossed his hands over his chest.

"We lost- No, _you_ lost a lot of great talent on Starkiller base and who's to say that you will find the same amount of talent for the second one?!" Lynx queried.

"We will find them, Lynx." Hux stated firmly.

"Now you're being the Emperor and you haven't even gotten Supreme Leader's agreement to this matter." Lynx growled causing Hux to narrow his eyes at the statement.

"I am not the Emperor." His voice was low and dangerous while he sat up straighter but Lynx only scoffed at the intimidation display.

"Sure, you aren't. I would have disagreed the first time you built Starkiller base but the second time is just too much even for me!" Lynx stood up abruptly and slammed the table causing it to crack underneath her unseen force. "We will _not_ spend more resources on a single project just to see it get destroyed along with our efforts to build the _damn thing!_ "

Silence fell over the room which did not get broken at all. Not even when Clan Mother brought in drinks while Lynx and Hux had a glaring competition. Ren nodded his thanks towards Clan Mother when she placed a cup of tea in front of him while watching the other two with amusement. Phasma too didn't dare to break the tension and nodded her thanks towards Clan Mother. The two had removed their masks at the beginning of the meeting to be able to vocalize their ideas better.

"Fine." Hux finally gave in and sank back in his chair. "We won't build another one." He took up his glass of wine that Clan Mother had brought and took a sip in thought. "We will rebuild our forces instead."

"Disobey me and I will kill you personally." Lynx snarled before grabbing her bottle of wine and blaster to stomp out the door, slamming the door shut behind her.

The tension nearly dissipated if it wasn't for the fact that Hux was still fuming at Lynx's insubordination. He would have to punish her somehow but he knew nothing that might work against her. She was exceptionally difficult to deal with and her background made it even worse. She was esteemed Imperial and bounty hunter which caused him to sigh annoyedly and rub his temples.

"Sir, are you still going to build one?" Phasma asked after a while and Hux glanced at her with a small fire behind his eyes.

"As much as I want to, she does have a point. The Empire wasted its resources building two death stars and we do not have the resources to build our own. It took us thirty years to build Starkiller base only to have it be destroyed." He scowled at the memory. "We're going to change tactics."

"And what would that be?" Ren asked while taking a sip from his delicious tea.

"We need a shipyard to build our fleet and I do believe Trihorn knows one. Once he returns, we can continue this discussion." Hux nodded towards the other two officers before getting up and walked out the door, his glass of wine in his hands.

"How long do you think he will last?" Phasma asked Ren who shrugged.

"Five hours."

##

True to Ren's prediction, Hux only lasted five hours in tense silence. The man started complaining the second it passed the five-hour mark. It seemed that Hux was complaining about two people, Lynx and himself. He was contradicting his own statements and it infuriated him even more. After a while, he sighed and sat down on his bed, finishing his bottle of wine in one final gulp.

He set the bottle on the bedside table before sinking his face in his hands, groaning at the migraine that was forming. On one hand, he knew Lynx was right because despite making Starkiller as fool proof as possible, there was always an overlooked weakness in the giant project. On the other hand, there was this feeling. This itching feeling at the back of his mind that would not go away no matter how hard he tried. In fact, he got so annoyed by it that he called up Ren just to mind probe him.

"You, want to willingly volunteer for this." Ren said incredulously and Hux nodded firmly.

"It is getting on my nerves, Ren. I need you to find it. The reason behind this feeling."

"How long have you had it?" Ren questioned while lifting his hand.

"Ever since Starkiller base." Hux replied and Ren literally froze.

"You're kidding." Ren stated but Hux looked at him with one raised eyebrow.

"Since when do I joke around?"

"Alright, just relax and this will go by quickly." Ren said and despite the fact that he would enjoy watching Hux squirm, he had some other matters to attend to.

It only took a second before Hux felt the pressure which increased his migraine, much to his dismay. He wanted to grip his head but then, it was gone as quick as it came. Ren took a step back before he gripped the chin of his helmet while his other hand was placed over his stomach and he held this thoughtful position for a few minutes. Hux just rubbed his temple while the feeling of _need_ at the back of his mind started to fade.

"It would seem that I found the answer." Ren spoke, dropping both of his hands to his side.

"What was it?" Hux asked.

"All I needed to do was chip away that tiny thread. Now, you shouldn't feel it anymore."

"I don't, great!" Hux smiled before a feeling of guilt washed over him causing his smile to falter. "I- Where is Lynx?"

"She is in the maze." Ren told him before leaving the room.

Hux rolled his eyes but stood up and grabbed his coat. "I'll make this right."

##

Hux was quite surprised to find Lynx seated in front of her father's grave and the worst of all, she was singing. He knew it was a lullaby from the tune but it unnerved him. It was a similar lullaby that his mother had sung to him which he had known was of Mandalorian origins so it made sense for Lynx to sing it. Then, Lynx slowly placed her right hand on top of the tombstone with her eyes closed.

"I've grown stronger and yet, I feel weak." Lynx said, putting her head on the tombstone. "Tell me how to be strong again."

Hux stood idly at a distance although he was slightly confused. Why would Lynx ask his abusive adopted father when she hated him? He felt like he was missing a puzzle piece and it was slowly killing him on the inside. He looked at the balcony where he had stood with Numri two days ago to find Ren over there with his mask on. Hux knew Ren was trying to tell him to move but Hux couldn't. Whether it was from some unseen force or just his own emotions, he didn't know. What he did know was that Lynx knew he was there as she stood back up and fired two shots to the sky before clipping her weapon on her back.

"Why do you do that?" Hux questioned when she turned around to face him.

"You have not earned that information yet." Lynx frowned before walking towards the exit of the maze.

Hux followed her, seeing as he still had to apologize to her somehow and he was thankful of the extra time to think of what to say. He didn't want to make it worse, that was for sure and he almost did with beginning with that question. He had to play his cards right with her who acted similarly to Ren yet she had a similar background to him. She was a fuse ready to blow but wants control over everything around her. That was the puzzle he wants to deduce and he had plenty of time while they stood in the open field, looking at the multitude of stars above them.

"I want to apologize." Hux said after a minute of silence and when Lynx didn't reply, he continued. "I should have known that building a second Starkiller will be a waste of resources but there was this _need_ at the back of my mind. It's gone now so, it doesn't matter."

Lynx still didn't say anything so Hux went to staring at the stars. He used to this when he was young, his ambitions rolling wildly around his head. It was the only way to keep him sane back then. To make him feel like the little boy that he was with only his hopes and dreams that would one day become a reality. Looking back at it, he scoffed at how naïve he had been but it was expected considering he was just a child.

"I'm sorry." Lynx finally muttered so Hux looked at her. "I called you an Emperor when I shouldn't have. I guess I'm still infuriated at losing all my colleagues over some stupid idea."

"It happens to the best of us. It is a grudge that I am sure can never be erased but you need to move on."

"I've tried but…" Lynx snarled and Hux looked at her to see tears falling. "I-"

Without thinking, Hux pulled her in for a rather awkward hug. Lynx hid her face in his shoulders while she continued sobbing and Hux gently rubbed her back. They were silent, neither of them talking at all and the cool breeze helped calm down the sobbing girl. Hux pitied her but at the same time, he felt nothing because he had never gone through the same emotions she had.

Attachments with colleagues were unheard of in the Empire and it usually meant betrayal. However, Lynx seemed like she really knew her colleagues and actually had fun. After a while, Lynx finally stopped and parted away from Hux who reluctantly released his hold on her.

"Do you remember that time, when we met the Supreme Leader?" Lynx said softly and Hux jerked back at the memory.

"Y- Yes?" Hux said hesitantly and looked at Lynx whose one gold eye locked onto his blue ones.

"Why did you do it?" Lynx asked, referring to the time where he had gripped her wrist in a protective manner.

"I-… I was afraid." That sentence caused Lynx to raise an eyebrow.

"You? Afraid?"

"Haven't you seen how the Supreme Leader looks?"

"Don't you remember that I'm blind?" Lynx retorted irritably cause Hux to wince.

"Sorry but even by his voice, you could tell he was intimidating. I was afraid back then that when you brushed my shoulder, it was on instinct to grab your wrist… You were so calm. Even in the unknown, you were calm and I needed it to calm myself down. Call it a selfish act if you will but I needed it badly." Hux explained causing Lynx's look to soften.

"I-… You can do it anytime, Hux. If you need it to boost your morale, you can always do it because at the end of the day, when you are successful, I am as well." Lynx smiled and Hux did the same when a thought crossed his mind.

He hesitated because the last time well… To be honest, the last time he hesitated, Mia came in and disrupted it. This time, he cupped Lynx's face, wiping away a stray tear before pulling her in for a kiss. He could feel Lynx tense up but then she relaxed and closed her eyes when a feeling of lust overwhelmed the both of them. It was doubled by their touch and they were both lost in it before having to part to breathe. Hux placed his forehead on Lynx who still had her eyes closed but when she opened it with a smile, it was replaced by surprise which caused Hux to tilt his head. Then, Lynx up at the stars with a certain awe in her eyes.

"What is it?" Hux queried.

"I can see..."

"What? I thought you already could." Hux frowned and took a step back, letting go of Lynx when she suddenly grabbed both of his wrists firmly.

"No! Hux, I can really see! I can see the stars! I have normal vision but only if I-" She stopped mid-sentence, her excitement disappearing in almost an instant when she looked down at her hands which were still holding his wrists. "Only if we make contact."

Hux was more than perplexed by now. At the beginning, he thought he understood what she said but now... He had no kriffing idea.

"So, you're saying that you can see or have your normal vision back only when you make contact with me?" Hux questioned.

"Yes." Lynx nodded firmly and her excitement was returning.

"Then, why didn't it happen before? We've had plenty of contact then." He frowned.

"Because you didn't seal the deal." Numri said behind them, surprising Hux but Lynx's smile only widened as she bowed.

"Clan Mother."

" _Apărător_." Numri smiled at the warrior.

"Seal what deal?" Hux narrowed his eyes at the older woman but didn't let go of Lynx.

"The force is a curious thing, General. It knows more than we will ever do. It has plans for the both of you but I do not know what."

"Oh great." Hux grumbled before getting lightly shoved by Lynx.

"We'll find out about it together." Lynx smiled and Hux did so too, taking her left hand and kissed it like a gentleman.

"Together."

##

Kylo Ren was usually moody except currently, he was exceptionally so. He had no idea why, the only thing he knew before he felt it was like a snap in his mind. He had taken it out on a training dummy but that didn't seem to cease his moody state. He needed something or someone. Actually, he needed Mia. Currently, it felt like there was only an empty space in his mind, a hole that only she could fill in. He was certain that the force had a take in that. He hated it but it also made sense. He should have gone with her but he hadn't thought of doing so.

"Tea for the moody?"

"Leave me." Ren didn't bother to even look at Clan Mother who walked in with a tray of tea.

"I'm afraid I can't do that… You're projecting a lot of miserable emotions that is darkening the base." Numri said softly, putting the tea on the bedside table before taking a seat beside Ren.

"If you have a problem with that, do not take it out on me."

"You miss her, don't you?"

"No."

"You do not need to admit it for me to know." Numri smiled before standing up. "She will return but until then, please keep your emotions in check."

Ren scoffed but nonetheless became subconscious of making sure he didn't project his misery and instead started sulking in the room. He didn't know which was worse, being defeated by a scavenger or being attached to a thief. The former was temporary while the latter… Well, for all he knew, it could be permanent.

"Now that's just mean." He immediately swirled his head towards the door, fast enough to earn a whiplash to see Mia standing there with a smirk on her face.

"I thought-"

"You were too deep in thought to notice that I had returned. Besides, I'm a very stealthy person." Mia smirked at Ren who sighed.

"You're definitely stronger than me."

"Funny you should say that." Mia hummed in thought while moving towards Ren, "I felt weak away from you."

"What?" Ren tilted his head at Mia who smiled.

"While I was at House Vizla, being the mischievous girl I am, I wanted to scare them a little. It was then that I found out, my force powers were not strong. I couldn't lift the item no matter how hard I focused." Mia said and plopped down beside Ren. "It would seem that I need to be in close proximity to you to strengthen my powers, just like the bond with my siblings."

Ren's face changed into confusion beneath his mask. "So, your force powers are not strong?"

"I think I have force leech." Mia stated and glanced at Ren with a smile when she felt his confusion in the force. "Kidding. No such thing as force leech but I do believe my force powers are only stronger because you are feeding it to me."

"That makes, no sense."

"Neither do I, Ren." Mia tilted her head slightly in thought. "I'm starting to feel so weirded out by the force."

"Right…" Ren huffed before finally taking off his helmet to take a sip from his tea. "Do you want some?"

"Sure. I have yet to report to clan hall for my findings but I can rest here for now."

"What did you find?" Ren asked causing Mia to grimace.

"Nothing very pleasant."

##

"What's going on?" Lynx questioned Ren who was seated at their designated platform while Mia was currently in front of Clan Mother Numri.

"Mia reported seeing Resistance ships in your rival clan." Ren replied before watching the argument, truly entertained.

The clan hall was in chaos. Clan leaders were arguing against each other on whether to support the Resistance or the First Order. Phasma and the other troopers were all in the room, watching and guarding the whole debate. They also had contacted the _Finalizer_ and other ships to go out of sight of the Resistance.

 _They should have thought deeper on that._ Ren chuckled softly.

 _Not helping._ Mia hissed in his mind causing him to huff.

 _Great, you've established a mental link?_

 _I've always had it the first time I met you._ Mia sent something similar to a shrug through the bond.

"Clan leaders! Now is not the time to panic! We must help _Apărător_ and her friends to safety."

"Why should we?! They are against the resistance and in turn, the resistance are against us!"

"You'd better watch it, Jun Vain." Lynx snarled at the man who backed off and Ren was envy of that. "I want to protect you as much as you want to protect yourselves but I, too, want to help my new family. That is why I propose a crazy idea."

"No way! Those caves are sacred!" One of them yelled without even Lynx saying it.

"We all know that." Lynx retorted with slight annoyance in her tone. "However, that is our only choice now. Mia will accompany them into the cave as she knows it like the back of her hands."

"And if the Resistance follows us?" Hux questioned Lynx who turned to face him with a smile.

"The cave is sacred and out of bounds for a reason. If the Resistance does follow you, they won't get out alive." Lynx put her forehead on his before reluctantly letting him go causing her world to go back to black. "Mia, take them to the cave."

"Are you sure, sister?" Mia tilted her head slightly at Lynx who had tensed up when she let go of Hux.

"Yes. Now, go." Lynx ushered them out and Hux looked back at her with a worried look before steeling himself while leaving.

"What about your brother? Isn't he coming with his vessel?" Numri asked Lynx who sighed.

"I can only hope that he arrives at the most opportune time."

##

"I've got a bad feeling about this." Finn muttered while following Rey into the clan hall of House Blood.

"Calm down, Finn. We will only be discussing matters about the First Order and then we will leave."

"I can feel it, Rey. The coldness of the dark side is in the atmosphere." Finn continued, taking cautious glances around the room.

"Finn, take deep breaths and we will be fine." Rey told him just before she stopped in the middle of the hall, all eyes on the two Resistance fighters.

"Speak." Instead of Clan Mother Numri being on the throne, Lynx sat there with her head held high and blaster on her lap. However, Rey and Finn doesn't know how the Clan Mother looked like.

"My name is Rey and this is Finn. We are fighters of the Resistance and have come here to discuss something." Rey said and Numri started whispering towards Lynx.

"That's a bad sign." Finn muttered, thinking that the old lady was corrupting Lynx but in truth, Numri was just telling the young women what the two Resistance had in terms of weapons.

"Continue, Rey of the Resistance."

"We received reports from House Vizla of a First Order vessel orbiting the planet. We had hope that you had seen them unless of course, you are hiding them." Rey said and the accusation caused an uproar in the hall.

"How dare you accuse us!" Jun Vain stood up and pointed at Rey before Lynx slammed the arm rest of the throne, her face portraying an annoyed expression.

"That is twice now, Leader Vain. If you do not learn your place soon, your fate will be sealed." Lynx growled slightly while the lower ranking clan leader sat down quickly and looked away.

Rey and Finn immediately felt uncomfortable being in the room. One of the members of Clan Wren had reluctantly told them the story of House Blood. House Blood were known to be ruthless and merciless in achieving their goals. They were also known to execute anyone who black mails fellow clan members or speak out of turn… One of the most notable Bounty Hunters came from this House and Clan Wren had told them to stay away from that particular hunter but they couldn't remember who.

"If we find any of the First Order officers, we will report them to you." Lynx nodded firmly before watching Rey and Finn leave rather eagerly.

"Did you get anything?" Finn asked Rey who shook her head.

"I couldn't even penetrate her mind. There was like a thick wall blocking it." Rey frowned at the thought seeing as only other force users could do that.

"Is she a force user?"

"I didn't sense it…" Rey muttered before stopping outside of the entrance of the base to look to her left. "That cave. It's housing two force users."

"Well, then let's go find them."

"Wait." Rey grabbed Finn's hand before he could go any further. "There's something else."

"That is?" Finn raised an eyebrow at that.

"A bigger entity, definitely more dangerous. Something is lurking in there." Rey said cautiously causing Finn to exchange glances between the cave and Rey.

"Whatever it is, I'm sure we can handle it.


	7. Chapter 7

"We'll wait here. No one really goes in this direction." Mia said and watched as the troopers took a seat on the floor while Hux took a seat on a flat rock.

"I sense something." Ren said and looked deeper into the cave but Mia snapped her fingers to catch his attention.

"I wouldn't try it, Ren." She warned him before grabbing his hand and dragged him to sit down on the floor beside Hux but in front of the troopers. "We have to pass the time."

"How are we going to do that?" Phasma questioned and took a seat beside Mia.

"Anyone brought cards?" Mia asked the troopers and they all glanced at each other uneasily. "Come on, one of you must have it."

"I do." One of the troopers piped up, holding a stack of cards.

"Perfect! Bring it here. Ignore your other superiors." Mia added the last sentence when the trooper hesitated.

Without even looking, Mia could tell that Hux, Ren and Phasma were giving a death glare towards the trooper for disobeying orders. Mia didn't care, she was bored and glad that a trooper had disobeyed orders. No matter what, she was going to commend him for hiding a deck of cards in his pockets. The trooper who was named Burns by Mia due to him being a flame trooper, gave her the deck and she immediately started shuffling.

"I'm sure you guys have played Sabacc before?" Mia asked the three officers.

"No." Hux and Phasma said while Ren nodded.

"Geez, no life." Mia rolled her eyes while giving out the cards. "Rules are simple, get a total of positive or negative 23. Otherwise, get an idiots array which is cards 2, 3 and the idiot card in a hand. Got it?"

"I think so." Hux replied thoughtfully.

"Don't worry." Mia motioned for two troopers to stand behind Hux and Phasma. "They know the game, they will teach you. Also Ren, don't you dare cheat."

"Wasn't planning to." Ren smirked when Mia looked at him with an unamused look.

"Alright, the other troopers can watch if you're interested because surely you want to see your superiors get beaten by a girl." Mia grinned when everyone gathered round and Hux narrowed his eyes at the small female.

"You'd better help me win this." Hux hissed towards the trooper who nodded.

"Of course, sir."

##

Two hours later and with some surprising effort, Mia and Hux were actually tied with Ren and Phasma close behind. Hux had grasped the concept of the game really quickly while Phasma took a little time and had the help of a rather generous Mia to explain it to her in great detail. While Hux was concentrating on his cards – being the tryhard he is -, Mia was laughing with the troopers behind her which caused a bit of jealousy towards Ren. He was getting possessive over her which did not bode well at all. He still wondered what that would mean with the current bond that they have.

"Guess what Hux?" Mia smirked while Ren and Phasma showed their cards. "I win."

"Funny, I have the same." Hux placed down his cards at the same time Mia did showing two idiots array on the table which was unheard of.

"Well, look at that." Mia hummed in slight disbelief before everyone turned their heads towards the entrance of their little side cave to see Lynx.

"Are you done with Sabacc?" Lynx questioned the four of them while glancing at each of the troopers.

"Nope." Mia shook her head.

"Good. Continue playing, the Resistance haven't left yet." Lynx looked at Hux before turning around and walked out.

"Well then. Hux, I do believe you have an influence on her." Mia muttered after a while.

"It was already obvious, Mia." Ren huffed at the small adult who rolled her eyes.

"No. I mean yes, it is but what I actually mean is that… Uh, that there is something going on other than the lovey dovey portion." She said and raised an eyebrow at her own sentence.

"You are not making sense." Ren hissed after a whole two minutes of silence.

"Right, I don't make sense. Uhm… You know what Ren? Just mind probe him and find out." Mia said and Hux visibly tensed.

"What?" Hux queried with slight distaste in his tone.

"I've done it to you, Hux. Actually, everyone including Ren." Mia smirked when the troopers shuffled uncomfortably on their spot.

"You managed to look through all of our memories without alerting us?" Phasma questioned incredulously and Mia once again nodded.

"She is worse than Ren." One of the troopers whispered but in the silent cave, it was loud causing Ren to hold the trooper in a force choke.

"Ren." Mia frowned before she held her hand out which was slowly prying Ren's force choke on the trooper.

Ren turned to look at Mia, dropping the trooper to the ground and was about to choke her when Mia put up like a force shield. It prevented him from controlling the force around her and that caused him to frown underneath the mask. Mia did not back down and instead, she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Are you protecting me or yourself?" Mia raised an eyebrow and that question surprised him but he stayed collected on the outside. "Think about it before you answer me later. For now, to answer that trooper. Yes, I am a thief so I know no boundaries. Not even personal."

She smirked at Hux who frowned and sat up straighter. Ren didn't even need to mind probe him to know that he was displeased. It was the reaction Hux always shows when his personal space gets intruded. Mia gave the cards back to Burns before standing up and stretched, her back popping as the bones settled in place.

"So, Lynx needs to have contact with you in order to see. Interesting." Mia hummed idly while Hux growled.

"Stay out of my mind!"

"Yeah sure, Hux." Mia rolled her eyes before she stiffened and looked at the entrance. "He's back."

"Who?" Phasma asked when she felt a weird feeling.

"Trihorn."

##

"This is Admiral or Grand Admiral Trihorn aboard the ISD _X-factor_ to _Finalizer_ , do you read?" Trihorn spoke through the comms. There was no answer at first and Trihorn thought of the worst before a voice came through.

 _"~This is Lieutenant Mitaka aboard the_ Finalizer _, we have a bit of a situation.~"_

"What is it?" Trihorn asked, his voice hardened while his mind thought of the possible situations.

 _"~General Hux has informed us that your rival clan had contacted the Resistance and our enemies have arrived on the planet. We don't know how many but we are to hide behind one of the other moons.~"_

"Blast. I can't change my trajectory after setting course." Trihorn hissed in thought before his eyes sparkled at an idea. "Prepare the _Finalizer_ for battle."

 _"~What? But General Hux-~"_

"General Hux is on the planet hiding. I cannot change my trajectory and will get spotted. Therefore, alert all command."

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_

"And Lieutenant, follow my orders if you want to survive this fight. The _X-factor_ is still badly damaged so she won't be able to give much support."

 _"~Noted, sir.~"_ Trihorn ended the comm there before turning on his heel to face the Engineers and some crewmen that he had handpicked to help steer the vessel.

"Gentlemen, here's the plan. I want Engineers to repair the shields and get it working as fast as possible. The rest of you will get to battle stations and I need Crewmen Mart to look at the shield capacity. Mart, you will yell the ship capacity every time we get hit. Any questions?"

"Um sir," Trihorn looked at Mart who was fair skinned, had brown neatly combed hair, green eyes and wore a typical crewman uniform. "Why do I have to yell out the shield capacity?"

"We'll be cutting it close. That's all I can tell you. Now get moving!" Trihorn yelled and immediately, everyone scrambled to their stations. "Get ready to get out of hyperspace. Hoppins, establish connection to other vessels."

"Done, sir." Hoppins had jet black hair, was darker skin toned and had brown eyes.

"Wow, okay." Trihorn chuckled softly before hearing the beeping sound of connections being established and he saw the holoforms of all the Captains in front of him. "Are all of you ready?"

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_

"I will tell you to strike when I do." Trihorn said before signalling for Crewman Jomes to get out of hyperspace.

As soon as they did, Trihorn's breath hitched in his throat as he was severely outnumbered. There were several Mon Calamari cruisers and corvettes making up the blockade with a few x-wings flying about. Trihorn quickly returned his composure when the shields were put up before the leader of the blockade contacted them.

"Unidentified vessel, state your business or be destroyed."

"I ain't saying a thing." Trihorn hissed before looking at Mart. "Are the shield generators working?"

"Yes, sir." Mart nodded and Trihorn cracked his neck before releasing a breath.

"Brace for impact." Trihorn muttered and held onto the console, just as the first missile hit the shield.

"Shields holding, sir!" Mart yelled over the noise of the constant bombardment given by six battle cruisers.

"Numbers, Mart!"

"Sixty-eight percent!"

"Oh damn." Trihorn hummed in slight amazement. He needed to upgrade the deflector shields again since he was living in an outdated vessel.

 _"~Sir, the shield generator is heating up!~"_ One of the engineers yelled in panic.

"There's a cold-water hose to the left of the room. Use that and the spare liquid nitrogen in the reactor room." Trihorn ordered calmly.

 _"~Yes, sir!~"_

 _"~Sir, should we enter now?~"_ Mitaka asked, worry laced within his tone but it was barely audible.

"Not yet."

"Forty percent!" Mart was panicking and his panic affected the other crewmen but Trihorn stayed confident.

He knows she can hold the constant bombardment. The anticipation in the air was suffocating with Mart constantly reading out the ever-dwindling shield capacity. Everyone was afraid and some was on the verge of rushing to the escape pods to get out of there. They kept glancing at the serene Grand Admiral who stared out the windows as if he was waiting for a miracle.

It wasn't until three minutes later did Trihorn speak again, "All vessels, converge on targets specified on your combat computer. Do not and I repeat, do not change your target or we will face severe consequences."

 _"~Yes sir.~"_

"Maintain contact, do not end transmission." Trihorn added hastily while seeing the other First Order vessels appearing from their hiding spots behind the planets to converge at the Resistance blockade. "Heh, glorious."

"Sixteen percent sir!"

"Well, it wouldn't hurt for you guys to move faster!" Trihorn yelled towards the captains who shouted at their crew. "Full power to thrusters and cannons! Ignore your shields."

 _"~But sir! We'll be vulnerable!~"_ Mitaka said.

" _I_ will be vulnerable, Lieutenant." Trihorn hissed back. "My vessel is taking all the shots. They don't know you're coming so get here quickly!"

 _"~Y- Yes, sir!~"_

"Admiral! Incoming transmission from General Hux!" Hoppins shouted.

"Oh, you've gotta be-." Trihorn groaned and wiped his face once before yelling, "Put him through!"

##

"Trihorn, what are you doing?" Hux was livid because Trihorn was just taking hits on his already destroyed vessel. They were also terribly outnumbered with the Resistance forces being twice the size of the First Order ships.

 _"~Don't worry, General. We have this under control.~"_

 _"~Six percent sir!~"_

 _"~Son of a-, reroute all power to shields! Sorry Hux, gotta go.~"_

"Trihorn!" Hux yelled but it was too late as the ex-smuggler ended the link.

"It'll be fine, General." Mia told Hux while sitting back on the grass.

They had gone out of the cave to watch the battle above the atmosphere. They had not noticed the Resistance making a blockade before going into the cave but that was probably because they were more focused on trying to hide. Right now, all they saw were the Resistance ships bombarding the already half-destroyed ISD and it was a heavily one-sided battle.

"He's going to get himself killed." Phasma was worried for Trihorn and she didn't know why.

"Relax." Mia huffed while watching the show.

"How can we relax? He's still getting bombarded!" Hux shouted and Mia rolled her eyes.

"For force's sake, Hux. Trihorn is a Grand Admiral for a reason and he has a love for close calls." Mia snarled, starting to get annoyed with the incessant questions but then a loud explosion caused her teeth to vibrate. "Here we go!"

 _"~Yeah baby!~"_ Trihorn laugh came through the comms when another vessel exploded due to the _Finalizer_ targeting them from behind.

"How…?" Hux was baffled and it was surely shown by the way his jaw had dropped.

"He works to impress." Lynx appeared out of nowhere and gently closed Hux's mouth with her left hand while her right hand interlocked with his left hand.

 _"~Cutting it too close, boys. I'm running out of luck.~"_ Trihorn laughed through the comms while the last of the Resistance fled the battle.

 _"~Yeah, I thought they were going to fire on us.~"_ One of the other captains sighed relievedly.

 _"~Drinks on me. Still got two Port in a Storm waiting to be opened on the_ Finalizer. _Gather down on the planet in sixteen hours.~"_

 _"~Yes, sir!~"_ Came the collective reply before the other officers link cut off.

"Seriously, I thought that alcohol was just for us?" Mia tilted her head slightly at Lynx who shrugged.

 _"~Hey, they deserve a taste of it. By taste, I mean a single drop because the last thing I need is less than ready officers to be vomiting all over the place.~"_ Trihorn's shiver could be heard over the comms.

"Like what happened to Hux?" Ren smirked when Hux glared at him.

 _"~Surprisingly, Hux didn't vomit that much. Sure he looked pale in the morning but he threw up only once or twice.~"_

"They did not need to know that!" Hux roared but he was flustered as the others started giggling or laughing.

 _"~I'm just being devious.~"_ Trihorn chuckled while Lynx used her left index finger to make Hux face her.

"I find it cute." Lynx smirked when she felt Hux try to hide even more.

"You find it cute that he vomits? Ew…" Mia stuck her tongue out causing Ren to chuckle and place an arm around her waist to pull her close.

"I hope you don't feel the same way with me." Ren grinned when Mia blushed but reached out to take off his mask.

"I prefer you without your mask." Mia said and put her forehead on Ren's before going into a kiss.

 _"~Ok, I feel the love in the air but isn't it too early to celebrate?~"_

"Shut up, bro." Lynx said before pulling Hux into a kiss, her hands wrapped around his neck while Hux held her waist.

"Shit, I'm getting left out." Phasma jumped when Trihorn was right beside her. "Hey, Phasma."

"How-?"

"I was in a shuttle while we were talking." Trihorn pointed nonchalantly towards said shuttle before he removed Phasma's helmet and immediately pulled her in for the kiss.

* * *

A.N. You may skip this part if you wish, it is not important at all as it was mostly to remove the burning desire to write this scene.

* * *

~16 hours later~

"Party time!" Mia fired a shot to the sky which caused every single officer and trooper to erupt in a cheer.

They had gathered on ground just outside the clan hall as there was a huge space there for them to party. In the short time between the battle and now, they had managed to set up everything required for the party. There was mainly alcohol – which was just a drop of Port in a Storm – and a few food types to go around. Every officer were talking to each other and enjoying their rare free time. The best of it all was a stage where currently, Lynx, Mia and Trihorn were standing on, trying to come up with a song. In the end, Lynx and Mia cleared their throats at the same time, catching everyone's attention. At first, they were serious faced before a smile broke it and they held their wine glass in the air while their other hand held the microphone.

(Codes

 **Trihorn** \- Bold

 _Lynx_ \- Italics

Mia \- Underlined.)

 _"Tonight we are victorious. Champagne pouring over us. All my friends, we're glorious. Tonight we are."_

 **"Victorious"**

 ** _"Oh-oh-oh-oh"_**

 **"Victorious"**

 _ **"Oh-oh-oh-** oh~."_ Mia grinned while Lynx and Trihorn moved back, allowing her to take the centre stage.

"They can sing?" Phasma gaped at the scene.

"Apparently so." Hux mused and looked at Ren who seemed just as surprised.

"I'm gonna make you bend and break, say a prayer but let the good times roll, in case God doesn't show. And I want these words to make things right, but it's the wrongs that make the words come to life, "Who does he think he is?"" Trihorn slowly moved to centre stage while Mia moved back. "(If that's the worst you got, better put your fingers back to the keys)"

 **"Eyes like broken Christmas lights my touch, is black and poisonous and nothing like my punch-drunk, kiss, I know you need it, do you feel it? Drink the water, drink the wine!"** Trihorn moves back while Lynx pumped her fist in the air while moving to the front stage.

 _"One night and one more time. Thanks for the memories even though they weren't so great, "He tastes like you only sweeter~!" One night, yeah, and one more time. Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories, "See, he tastes like you only sweeter.""_ Then, Mia and Trihorn move forward with the microphone near their mouths while all three of them sang.

 _ **"**_ **Until we feel alright** _ **. Until we feel alright!"**_ Lynx and Trihorn move back again allow Mia to take centre stage.

"Been looking forward to the future, but my eyesight is going bad, and this crystal ball~, is always cloudy except for, when you look into the past. One night stand~." Mia looked at Lynx while moving back.

 _"(One night stand off)."_ Lynx sang before Trihorn took front stage.

 **"One night and one more time. Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great, "He tastes like you only sweeter!" One night, yeah, and one more time. Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories. "See, he tastes like you only sweeter.""** Trihorn moved back allowing Lynx to take front stage again.

 _"I only think in the form of crunching numbers, in hotel rooms collecting page six lovers. Get me out of my mind and get you out of those clothes. I'm a liner away from getting you into the mood."_ Lynx moves back allowing Mia to take front stage.

"One night and one more time. Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great, "He tastes like you only sweeter." One night, yeah, and one more time. Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories, "See, he tastes like you only sweeter."" Then, all three of them took front stage with them draping their hand over each other's shoulders, Trihorn and Lynx holding up a glass of wine in their free hand.

 _ **"One night and one more time. Thanks for the memories, even though they weren't so great, "He tastes like you only sweeter!" One night, yeah, and one more time. Thanks for the memories, thanks for the memories, "See, he tastes like you only sweeter." Oh~."**_

The trio finished the song with a bow and everyone clapped at their performance. Hux, Ren and Phasma were baffled at how perfect they sang the song, as if they had been practicing for days, weeks even. The next song to play was random but everyone still had fun regardless of whatever it was. Every trooper and officer congratulated the trio while they walked down the stage towards their lovers. There were only smiles on their faces while they drank together and watch the others mingle among themselves. However, they didn't even notice the disappearance of three stormtroopers.

* * *

A.N. Song used in here is Nightcore Victorious Mmrs by Underdogs. I do not own the song, he owns it and whoever that made the non-nightcore version of the song. Also, I probably won't do this kind of singing again.


	8. Chapter 8

A few hours later, our six main characters were now in a private booth which has a circular cushioned chair, a round table and some smooth jazz to top off the mood. As for sitting position, Trihorn and Phasma were to the right, Lynx and Hux at the middle while Mia and Ren were to the left. Mia snuggled herself closer to Ren before opening her eyes and saw a group of troopers approaching their booth. She raised an eyebrow at that as not many people dared to go near Ren or even any of their superiors. However, this seemed different. Even Ren had tensed from his spot and she knew it was bad. Very, very bad.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hux, who was snuggling with Lynx, questioned them. Despite being drunk, he could still use his commanding voice and think properly.

"You're coming with us." One of the troopers said before grabbing Trihorn who had had his hand draped over Phasma's shoulder.

"Wha~?" Trihorn was confused but then he realized that this was a trap, seeing as most officers and troopers had left to go to sleep or something. "Get off!"

Those two words was like a waking call to Lynx who had slowly been dozing off in Hux's arms. Her head snapped up towards the trooper and Hux had to let go of her when he felt an overwhelmingly sense of anger and bloodlust through the contact. When Hux let go, - which was a mistake on his part since there were no other emotions holding her back - Lynx pounced onto the troopers like a tiger, knocking them to the ground.

Trihorn was lucky enough to fall away from the fight and managed to stand back up without much difficulty. Ren and Mia too, stood up and activated their lightsabers when Lynx was pushed by an unseen force and crashed inside a building, a few ways away from them. Phasma reached for her blaster but she couldn't fire a shot as one of the troopers aimed at her.

"The Scavenger." Ren muttered before the group of troopers took off their helmets.

"And the defector." Hux hissed but he didn't move from his spot.

He didn't have his blaster on him and that was a big mistake but he noticed Lynx's blaster on the table. He didn't know how to use it but it was a weapon nonetheless. He was about to make a motion to grab it when Poe aimed his blaster at him.

"Don't move or he gets it." Poe growled while Rey activated her lightsaber which caused a slight stalemate.

Rey, Poe and Finn were outnumbered but they knew it would be a matter of time before the Resistance sends backup. Other than that, the First Order had partied a little too early which was to their advantage. However, they didn't know who the hell the three new officers are and the fact that they were… Snuggling with the worst of the worst didn't sit well with them especially Finn considering he had worked with these cold-hearted people.

"Who the hell are you?" Rey questioned Mia, her lightsaber at the ready despite the threat that hung in the air.

"No one you should be concerned of." Ren answered instead of the smaller women and since the First Knight didn't have his mask on, Rey could see the scar she had inflicted causing her to smirk.

"Do you like your new makeover?" Rey taunted and Ren was about to strike when Mia held his arm back.

"Don't make the first move." Mia warned and Ren reluctantly listened to her, taking a step back into a defensive position.

"Okay, that's new." Finn mused while keeping his blaster pointed at Phasma who had also taken off her helmet but neither of the Resistance fighters took notice.

"Kriff, this is annoying." Trihorn yawned – that's right, _yawned_ – while stretching which caused everyone except Mia to raise their eyebrows at him especially when he smirked. "Made you look."

"Drop your weapons." Rey, Finn and Poe tensed up at the guttural voice before they slowly turned around to find a less than happy Lynx, putting on the last of her red and black Mandalorian armor.

Her armor was similar to the time when Darth Maul had taken over Mandalore and to say the least, House Blood were the only ones who kept it. The reason was that this armor was intimidating and definitely scary to people who has never seen it before. Only the _Apărător_ and Clan Mother had the opportunity to wear this armor daily. The others can only wear it when they declare war against a separate clan.

"You're the one we're supposed to avoid…" Finn muttered and since they were distracted, Hux picked up Lynx's blaster and tried to shoot Finn but Rey sensed it coming and deflected the shot.

Her training with Luke paid off as the blaster shot hit Hux on his left shoulder which caused him to cry out in pain. The only problem was that anything that happened to Hux well… You get an even more livid ex-Mandalorian-bounty-hunter. Lynx activated her jet boosters and charged at Rey, ignoring the blaster shots aimed for her before she tackled the young Jedi. Rey fought against her but just as she was about to strike Lynx down, her target flew away, allowing Ren and Mia to take over and fight the young Jedi. Trihorn quickly grabbed his blaster and along with Phasma, fired at Poe and Finn, giving cover for Lynx to treat Hux's not-so deadly wound. Hux let out a hiss when Lynx removed his coat and uniform so that she could see the injured shoulder.

"I'm fine." Hux said through gritted teeth but it was no use as Lynx could feel the pain from their contact.

"Hold still." She ordered before taking out a bacta patch from her pocket. She always had it in case one of her teammates gets injured. It never pays to be prepared.

"Lynx, we're in the middle of a battle!"

"I don't care." She hissed in tone that left no more room for argument.

Hux let out a huff but didn't mind using the contact to calm himself. He needed to ignore the pain and it worked very well.

"Tri!" Lynx yelled towards the electric blue haired man who glanced at her, "Contact the others! We're leaving!"

Trihorn only nodded in acknowledgement while taking out his communicator and shooting at Poe and Finn. Although, he wasn't aiming to hit them. He was aiming to delay them as his shots were more of _'back off'_ instead of _'I'll kill you!'_.

"Lieutenant! Mitaka?! Kriff." Trihorn changed it to open channel. "Anyone awake?!"

 _"~Crewman Mart here, sir.~"_ Came a voice and Trihorn couldn't have been more relieved.

 _'Looks like a promotion is in order.'_ He smiled before shouting,

"Mart! Wake up the others!"

 _"~Why sir?~"_

"We're leaving! That's why! Get everyone back on the _Finalizer_ ASAP." Trihorn ordered before adding, "If they refuse, smack them in the face and shove them out the door!"

 _"~Y- Yes, sir!~"_

"Really?" Phasma raised an eyebrow at Trihorn who shrugged.

"Hey, I'm panicking. Mia!"

"What?!" Mia yelled back, jumping back from an incoming slice.

Trihorn only tossed the quarter filled bottle of Port in a Storm towards her and Mia caught it with a grin on her face. She popped the cap while Ren force pushed Rey away from him to look at his apprentice. Lynx grabbed Hux's hand and they ran towards Trihorn and Phasma who were now just hiding behind cover from the suppressing fire by Finn and Poe. After Mia finished gulping down the drink, she tossed the bottle away and wiped her mouth with her sleeve before a crazed look appeared on her face. Ren powered down his lightsaber and took several steps back while Mia rushed forward towards Rey who had to fight back overpowering sense of fear and the small adult.

"Party time!" Mia laughed while attacking Rey, using a combination of form I, form IV and form VII.

Rey had a hard time combating her as she would always find herself needing to jump back, out of the range of her slices. Drinking alcohol had made Mia unpredictable and energetic which was also why the others except Ren are behind cover. Let's just say that Mia can get a little too energetic. Finn and Poe had stopped firing at the others and were now watching with certain awe in their eyes at how Mia was fighting. Mia would sometimes go from overly aggressive to defensive and then there were times where she would be calm but calculating.

 _"~Sir, everyone is on board the_ Finalizer _.~"_ Mart said through the comms, scaring Trihorn who had been too focused on watching the fight.

"Oh right. Uhm, prepare for hyperspace jump to these coordinates. Oh, and tell the _X-factor_ to connect with the other vessel's navicomputer before jumping into hyperspace." Trihorn ordered.

 _"~Uh, sir? I'm just a lowly crewmen.~"_ Mart was confused which caused Trihorn to chuckle.

"For now, Mart, you are a Captain considering the others are drunk as hell and you are the only one who can think… Also, you are taking direct orders from me so get prepping." Trihorn smirked when he heard Mart fumbling with the comm.

 _"~Yes, sir…! Also sir, how is the_ X-factor _supposed to do that?~"_

"There should be an extra computer on the bridge. Oh Mart, you will enter the _Finalizer_ instead of the _X-factor_ as our comms are already linked." Trihorn explained.

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_ Mart said before ending the link and Trihorn took a peek at Finn and Poe who were too distracted.

He then looked at Lynx and Hux while motioning with his head to get moving. They nodded and started sneaking their way towards the clan hall while Phasma and Trihorn sneaked towards the booth to get Phasma's and Ren's helmet. After gathering said items and Phasma putting on her helmet, they rushed towards the clan hall. There, they met up with Lynx and Hux before all four of them used the back entrance of the hall to enter the hangar which held their shuttle or more specifically, Ren's shuttle. Trihorn's shuttle had already departed back to the _X-factor_.

"Okay, Mia will drag Ren when the shuttle is over their heads." Trihorn said while starting up the engines with Hux as the co-pilot.

"Wait, what will we be doing?" Hux questioned as Trihorn pulled up the _Upsilon_.

"Two words. Fly by." Trihorn said and flew at a really low altitude that caused Hux and Phasma to tense especially when the vessel jerked from an accidental scrape on the ground.

"Are you insane?!" Hux yelled while gripping onto the console firmly, his shoulders stiff.

"Thanks for pointing it out but I already know!" Trihorn laughed and opened the ramp door.

Lynx stood on the ramp and she started shooting at Rey who jumped back to deflect her shots. Mia quickly grabbed Ren's hand and the both of them used force leap to enter the shuttle. Poe and Finn – having snapped out of their awe – started firing at the shuttle but Ren deflected the shots while Trihorn flew the shuttle higher. Once Lynx and Ren were safely inside, Trihorn closed the ramp and flew towards the _Finalizer_ , the only vessel that was still in orbit since the other vessels had taken off to the designated coordinate. As soon as he landed the shuttle in the hangar, he ordered Mart to jump and the lowly crewmen did so.

"That was hectic." Trihorn huffed while getting out of the _Upsilon_.

"We are never letting everyone drink again." Hux growled although he was starting to sway as he was still drunk.

"Right." Lynx muttered while watching Ren and Phasma walk out of the shuttle in a hurry. She was about to let go of Hux when the General held her shoulder and had his other gloved hand covering his mouth.

"Don't. I'm going to vomit." Hux coughed and Lynx chuckled before looking at her brother.

"I'm going to be in Hux's quarters." She told him and left before he could protest.

"Party?" Trihorn felt his right eye twitch while he turned around to face an energetic Mia who had a large grin on her face.

 _Goodbye sanity._ Trihorn thought with a sigh.

~~The next day~~

For the first time, the _Finalizer_ was not as busy as most days. Everyone were either resting from a hangover or in the canteen having their early breakfast. Mia yawned while walking towards Ren's quarters. She hadn't gotten her rest after disturbing Trihorn and the awake crewmen on the bridge but she still had the energy to annoy a certain First Knight. Her apprenticeship with Ren was almost over, considering she learned everything the First Knight had learned and soon would be joining the other Knights of Ren. She definitely was not looking forward to it after what happened with the Inquisitorius.

"Hey Ren, it's me." She knocked on the door and waited for her master to open it.

"I'm not interested, Mia." Ren growled but it was weak and that caused her to chuckle.

"Hangover? I won't talk much, Ren." Mia said and after a minute of just standing outside the door, Ren opened it using the force.

Mia smiled and entered the room, ensuring to close and lock the door behind her just in case someone else wanted to visit the miffed Knight. Ren's personal quarters on the _Finalizer_ was large. There were three separate doors, one goes to the bathroom, one to the bedroom and the other to his meditation room. In the living room was a couch and a small kitchen. She noticed Ren was on his bed in a rather comfortable position so she grabbed the chair from the study desk and sat down beside the bed.

"So, you cook?" She decided to ask that question seeing as a frown was etched on his features.

"Sometimes… Why do you ask?" Ren shrugged slightly.

"I'm just saying, it's better to spend time with the other officers instead of eating alone. For one, you can start trusting them even more." Mia shrugged while Ren huffed.

"I'll keep that in mind…"

"Just because you have a headache, it doesn't give you an excuse to use that phrase and expect for me to know you remember it." She smirked when Ren rolled his eyes.

"Alright! Just leave me!" He growled and turned his back towards Mia who pouted.

"That's just mean…"

"Leave. Me."

"Nope. I'm getting an answer out of you even if I sleep here." Mia crossed her arms over her chest in defiance and Ren decided to just ignore her to go back to sleep. "Oh Ren~? Kylo? Ren~… Ren!"

"Mia, I swear to the force that if you don't get out of my room now, you are going to regret it."

"I'm afraid it's the opposite." Mia shrugged nonchalantly, ignoring the threat and the ever-growing impatient Knight.

"Seriously, why are you here?" Ren turned to face her with an irritated look on his face.

"Remember that time in the cave? I want to know which one. I want that answer." Mia said and Ren groaned while putting his pillow on his face.

"I'll give it to you tomorrow." He mumbled through the pillow.

"No, I want it now. Now~." Mia whined which was enough to get Ren to sit up.

"Okay, okay I'll tell you!" Ren rolled his eyes at the childish apprentice before him and cleared his throat. "I don't know."

"I can read your mind, Ren. Don't lie to an ex-ISB Agent or an ex-thief either, it doesn't reflect well on your resume." Mia smirked.

"Fine, I was protecting my reputation and… I did feel a bit of jealousy." Ren looked away when Mia's face softened.

"Why?" She tilted her head slightly when he let out a sigh.

"I've always wanted to be as strong as my grandfather. Then, you came around and proved to be stronger than I ever was. You could read other people's minds without even them knowing and you know some force powers that I haven't even heard of." Ren explained.

"Well, I am flattered to hear this from you but I wouldn't be as strong as I am without you. You are stronger than me, it's just that you're not using that power. The power of balance." Mia said and Ren frowned.

"The light side is weak. The dark side is stronger." He hissed.

"But together, they are stronger than alone." Mia said softly and smiled at Ren's confusion. "Ren, you have two sides of the force and you're only using one. It's like having two cannons aimed at a target but you only fire one. Do you see the difference?"

"No."

"Mainly because of your headache but when you have two cannons aimed and only one firing, you're bound to miss or the target might survive the shot but if you have two aimed and both firing, the target will definitely go down. It's the same principle with the force. If you choose to ignore one side of the force then you will never be strong enough to destroy your target." She paused to let Ren process the information.

"What-?" Ren was about to say before he clamped his mouth shut but Mia picked up the question in his mind. _'Have you reach it?'_

 _"_ I have reached that balance within me a long time ago and I've only shown it when you saw my fight with the scavenger. Can you find yours?" Mia looked into Ren's brown eyes to see that he was contemplating. "I will let you think on it."

Mia took one final glance at Ren before leaving the room with a sigh. She hoped that he could find the balance, then it would be easier on her part when they go back to fighting. She preferred fighting with the troopers against non-force users than fighting with a Sith against a Jedi. It just felt odd for her and she hoped that history doesn't repeat.


	9. Chapter 9

"Finally, she's gone." Trihorn grumbled under his breath while staring out the bridge windows.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Mart asked Trihorn who chuckled.

"Mart, use my name. I'm not like those typical Imperials or even like General Hux. However, in battle, I expect you to be formal so that we can instill fear in our enemies. Also, all of you may speak as freely as you want. I aim to improve the working conditions of this vessel and for you to get to know us as we know about you."

"Yes, sir- I mean um, Trihorn." Mart fumbled when Trihorn narrowed his eyes at him before the Admiral looked back outside. "Why is Mia like that?"

"When Mia drinks alcohol, her systems changes that alcohol into a ton of energy which makes her annoying and energetic. It heightens her senses and increases her spatial awareness. It's best to let her drink during battle where she can be insanely overpowering or even stealth missions." Trihorn explained towards the crew who were on the bridge.

There were only five crewmen on the bridge as the others were resting from a massive hangover. They were all just relaxing while doing some checks on the vessel to make sure it was running at peak efficiency. Trihorn rubbed his temple from a small migraine that was slowly disappearing after Mia left the bridge. He just hoped she left to sleep and not disturb anyone else.

He didn't bother to turn around when he heard the clicking of boots but also the armor which he knew belonged to Lynx. She treasured her Mandalorian armor as much as her blaster and that was because she was accustomed to the both of them. Lynx stopped beside him and he could see that she had taken off her helmet which was currently tucked under her left armpit.

"Where did you find that armor, by the way?" Trihorn asked as he thought that she had lost it when they left the world the first time.

"It was in storage. I found it there when the scavenger force pushed me and I crashed into the building. I quickly put it on before running back out." Lynx explained and Trihorn hummed in thought.

"Why was it there in the first place?"

"Who knows?" Lynx replied with a shrug. "On a side note, Hux is finally getting his rest."

"Kriff, yes. He has too little sleep and too much stress on his shoulders." Trihorn slumped slightly.

"I know…" Lynx sighed before looking at the others who were just staring at them. "Questions?"

At first, no one said a thing but then one curious soul put up their hand, "Um, why are the both of you worried for General Hux?"

"Fair question. For Lynx, she has developed a relationship with your General which is why she worries for him. For me, Hux reminds me of Thrawn and his way of thinking is really rare these days. Other than that, he also reminds me of a certain someone." Trihorn looked at Lynx with a smile and she chuckled lightly.

"Yes, the Imperial regime is hard and being a lady, I had a hard time reaching the rank of General. Once I did reach General though, it was smooth sailing until the Emperor invited me, Trihorn and Mia into a private meeting. He promoted us to the highest rank possible and we worked together from then on." Lynx smiled at the memory.

"Why didn't you join the fleet?"

"We were supposed to work in the shadows. The Emperor also gave us orders to take control of planets using as little force as possible, only using them when the rebels showed up which we usually dispatched without any witnesses. We were efficient in our work and we hope to do the same now." Trihorn explained before looking back at the horizon. "Are we arriving?"

"No, sir. We still have two hours before arrival." Vix answered.

"I'm bored. Do any of you have cards?" Trihorn asked the crew and Mart took out a deck of cards from his pockets.

"I always have it on me."

"Wonderful! Shuffle it for me please. Who's playing?" Trihorn looked at the others who eagerly nodded.

"I have to check on Hux. Have fun boys~." Lynx waved at them with a smirk and entered the turbolift.

"Hux is one lucky man." Framann whistled when the turbolift closed.

"Oh, he isn't." Trihorn chuckled. "Lynx is harder to deal with once she gets into that stage."

"What stage?" Vix tilted his head slightly.

"Forced Kindness."

##

Lynx entered Hux's quarters without bothering to knock as she knew the man was still probably asleep. She looked around before her echolocation picked up someone in the showers. She only saw a glimpse of him before she looked away, her cheeks blushing slightly at the thought. She quickly cleared her throat to wash away the embarrassment. Apparently, Hux was already awake.

"Shouldn't you still be resting?" Lynx questioned and she could hear Hux shutting off the showers.

"There's more work to do." He said although his voice was slightly muffled behind the door.

"Hux, everyone is pretty much asleep in the _Finalizer_. There's no one remotely awake." Lynx pointed out and she heard him sigh.

"I have other work to do, Lynx. I have to send a report to Supreme Leader as well."

"I completely forgot about that guy." Lynx muttered and turned to look at Hux who had stepped out of the bathroom. He was half-dressed, only needing to put on his shirt and despite knowing Lynx couldn't really see him that well, he was still blushing slightly.

"How I wish I could do that…" He said after putting on his uniform.

"You could but it would be considered insubordination."

"Hmph, what isn't?" He questioned rhetorically.

"Me following you to see him." Lynx shrugged and held out her hand which Hux gladly took. "Let's go."

Hux's nervous energy immediately dissipated and it was replaced with a calm, assertive energy. He smiled at Lynx who did the same and she nodded to him. The both of them started walking down the hall towards the communications room where they will establish a secure connection with the Supreme Leader. Combined, Lynx and Hux gave off an aura of superiority which caused everyone in their way to stand at attention. While walking, Hux thought of what to say to the leader and ignored all the salutes from the troopers in the hall. Lynx only nodded towards those troopers to acknowledge their presence.

"Establish a connection with the Supreme Leader." Hux ordered the communications officer who saluted and started typing on the console.

"Have you figured out what to say?" Lynx asked him with a slight edge of worry in her tone.

"Yes. If, he doesn't interrupt me, that is." Hux gulped and he tightened his grip slightly on Lynx who kept sending a lot of calm emotions through the contact.

"You will be fine." Lynx whispered reassuringly before facing at the hologram that popped up and she felt her confidence falter slightly.

 _Well, he surely looks old._ She thought before listening in to the conversation.

"General, what news have you brought me?" Snoke queried.

"With the assistance of the three Imperials, we have established a base in Mandalore under House Blood, the house from which Lynx hailed from." Hux said and gestured at Lynx with his right hand.

"And they will be loyal?" Snoke looked at Lynx with a questioning gaze.

"They are as loyal to me as to the First Order. They will not betray us as long as we do not drag them into the conflict." Lynx said firmly.

"We shall see… For now, what other plans have you conjured, General?"

"We have decided that we need to increase our forces and Grand Admiral Trihorn has yet to determine the perfect shipyard to take over." Hux replied.

"A good plan, indeed." Snoke's eyes seemed to gleam in the hologram but Lynx thought it was just her eyes playing tricks. "Lynx, has your eyesight returned?"

"Unfortunately, I would have to say yes and no to that question." Lynx sighed slightly at Snoke's raised eyebrow or what used to be his eyebrow...

"Elaborate." He ordered.

"When I am in contact with General Hux, I am able to have my normal vision." Lynx held up her right hand which was holding Hux's left hand. "However, once I am not in contact with him. I lose my vision and it instead gets replaced by echolocation."

Lynx and Hux both tensed up at the loss of contact. Lynx tensed as the loss of sight always caused insecurities to enter her heart. Hux tensed as his nervousness entered his systems again and he had to fight the urge to grab her hand. Snoke noticed it but didn't say anything. This was a predicament and one that he hoped didn't diminish Hux's work in the Order.

"Echolocation, you say?" Snoke decided to ask instead at looked at Lynx who nodded. She could no longer see Snoke as he was just a hologram and the molecules couldn't come into contact with it.

"Yes, sir. The shapes or forms of physical objects will be outlined in blue while my whole world will be black."

"Interesting." Snoke hummed thoughtfully before looking at Hux. "Where is Kylo Ren?"

"He is resting, Supreme Leader. Grand Admiral Trihorn had put up a celebration after we succeeded in deterring the Resistance from Mandalore. Ren drank a little too much and is now suffering a hangover." Hux answered.

"I want him and Mia to contact me after they recover." Snoke said before his holoform sizzled out and that was when Hux held Lynx's hand, sighing in relief.

"That's right, you can start relaxing now." Lynx chuckled and nodded her thanks towards the communications officer before they journeyed to the bridge.

"Lynx, I would like to know, why you fired a shot every time you visited your father's grave?" Hux said and Lynx didn't say anything for a while.

Hux thought he had hit a mark but then she said, "It was a way for me to remember him. A commemoration. When I fired two shots, it was the anniversary of his death."

"Oh… Why would you remember someone who abused you?" Hux tilted his head curiously.

"He taught me many things, Hux. He taught me how to fight, how to live and how to survive. His beatings taught me that life will always be harsh and I knew it even so when I killed him without remorse. When I did, he looked at me with an appraising look, he was proud to have taught me everything and that I would continue his legacy." Lynx said before a smile broke on her face.

"Go on." Hux prompted.

"I'll be honest, without him, I would have died in two days. I have no doubt about that. Thus, it's only respectful that I remember him each and every day, even when I visit his grave, even when I was in the black hole and even when I was in suspended animation." Lynx finished by looking at Hux.

"You hate him but at the same time, you respect him?" Hux frowned at the thought while Lynx let out a chuckle.

"I respect him for teaching a weakling who is now the most feared bounty hunter and Imperial in the galaxy." Lynx retorted before they looked forward towards a rowdy bridge.

Since Sabacc needed a table and there were no tables on the bridge, they decided to play on the walkway. They were seated down on the floor with Trihorn facing the turbolift, Framann to his left, Mart opposite of him and Vix to his right. There were some credits on the line but it wasn't much as Trihorn only allowed small bets. Still, it was enough to cause Lynx to roll her eyes.

"Idiot's array baby! Reel it in!" Mart laughed, and gathered all the credits on the floor.

"Come on! That's the tenth game you've won!" Trihorn groaned while Framann reshuffled the cards.

"How's it going?" Lynx asked, ignoring Hux who was seething on the inside.

"Lynx! He's going to beat my streak!" Trihorn yelled and Lynx only raised an eyebrow at him.

"Bro, your streak is fifty." She deadpanned and Trihorn chuckled when the others gaped at him.

"Fifty?!" Mart yelled incredulously.

"Hey, easy games call for easy wins." Trihorn shrugged before looking at Hux. "Yes, General?"

"Are we arriving yet?" Hux asked.

"Yep. We're about to exit hyperspace. Framann, establish connection to other vessels." Trihorn looked at the blonde-haired man.

"Yes, sir."

"Where is Lieutenant Mitaka?" Hux questioned after glancing around the room.

"Passed out like the rest of them. He'll come around, I'm sure." Trihorn said while standing up from his seat on the walkway. "Oh god, don't sit down for two hours."

"Noted." Lynx smirked before the _Finalizer_ exited hyperspace and holoforms of the other captains appeared on the bridge.

"Everyone well?" Trihorn glanced at each Captain who nodded.

 _"~We're fine, sir.~"_

"Report status of the _X-factor._ "

 _"~Everything is stable, sir. Repairs are going smoothly as long as she does not enter a war zone again.~"_

"I'll keep that in mind. Others?"

 _"~We are running at peak efficiency, sir.~"_

"Good. I will be arriving on the _X-factor_ soon." Trihorn was about to turn when Hux stopped him.

"Trihorn, perhaps we should discuss on our next course." Hux said, glinting at the other captains as if to acknowledge them.

"That is?" Trihorn arched an eyebrow and glanced at Lynx who still had her helmet on.

"While you were away, I have had a meeting with Ren, Phasma and Lynx. Our next course of action is to increase our fleet. However, we need an existing shipyard to do so." Hux said sternly, opting to clasp his hands behind his back so Lynx had to rely on echolocation to see.

"Hm… That is difficult. Still, I know someone who has control over an existing shipyard. An old friend of mine who was loyal to the Galactic Empire. From what I remember, he had permission to use the shipyard as a way to store invaluable materials and it was a second store house for the much needed doonium and dolovite. I'm certain, despite the Death Star taking up most of the metals in the galaxy, he has more in store." Trihorn said and his eyes glittered with excitement.

"It better not be who I think it is." Lynx said and when Trihorn nodded, her features turned into a frown. "We're going to get killed."

"He knows the _X-factor_ and don't you think it will be great to see him after all these years?" Trihorn raised an eyebrow at Lynx who looked away.

"Who is it?" Hux questioned causing Trihorn to smirk.

"Commander Eli Vanto."

* * *

A.N. I literally made this chapter short just to spite all of you. ;) Also, I haven't really asked but please leave a review so that I may improve my writing style or just say what you've enjoyed about this book so far, it would really boost my morale up a lot. I'm also about to upload my Star Wars Rebels series very soon so stay tuned if you are also an SWR fan.


	10. Chapter 10

A.N. For those wondering, there has been little Phasma and Trihorn interactions as the two are currently on separate vessels and Phasma is doing some other stuff. There will be more in the future so please be patient, their time will shine soon, in two chapters maybe. :)

* * *

"Admiral Vanto, there is an incoming transmission, code _'Blue Alpha'_." A Chiss member said in Sy Bisti to a man who was slightly shorter than the Chiss around him, had grey hair and wrinkles on his face to show his aging form.

"Put it through." Eli ordered before seeing a hologram of Trihorn which caused his eyes to widen slightly in surprise. "Grand Admiral Trihorn, what a surprise."

 _"~Greetings Eli. I hope your time with the Chiss hasn't changed you much.~"_ Trihorn smiled on the other end.

"Nonsense, Trihorn." Eli dismissed the sentence with a wave while a smile curled on his lips. "I'm surprised you are still looking young. What happened to you?"

 _"~A lot of things, I'm afraid. My vessel was caught in a black hole and I didn't age while being trapped there. I'm surprised you're not dead yet although it is expected with the Chiss protecting you well, I'm assuming?~"_ Trihorn said.

"Correct. They are reliable friends to have in battle." Eli smiled at the other Chiss around him before looking back at Trihorn. "Why are you contacting me?"

 _"~Have you heard of the First Order?~"_ Trihorn queried, getting more serious.

"Yes, I have."

 _"~Leave your comments for later, Eli. My sisters and I are now working with them.~"_ Trihorn interrupted before Eli could go on a rant and the older man was clearly displeased.

"May I ask why?" Eli asked, frowning slightly.

 _"~They are continuing the work of the Empire in their own way. We are just assisting them seeing as we have nothing else to do. I have discussed with their high command and we need a shipyard to build more vessels for the fleet. I am certain you remember where it is?~"_ Trihorn replied.

"Yes, I do but what makes you think I am willing to help them?" Eli raised an eyebrow at Trihorn who sighed.

 _"~I'm going based on luck nowadays but I can assure you with our help, the First Order will succeed and we will crush the New Republic.~"_ He replied determinedly.

"You shouldn't make empty promises." Eli reprimanded playfully.

 _"~I'm a smuggler. It's what I do.~"_ Trihorn smirked which caused Eli to roll his eyes.

"You'd better be prepared to negotiate. The Chiss are unkind towards Outsiders such as yourself."

 _"~It's on Csilla?!~"_ Trihorn shouted and Eli gave a grin, knowing how much the electric blue haired man hated the planet.

"Yes."

 _"~Just kill me. That planet is a frozen wasteland.~"_

"How do you think the Chiss build their ships?" Eli pointed out and Trihorn let out a sigh.

 _"~Alright. Hux! You got more political stuff to do so get prepared. I suspect you'll assist us?~"_

 _"_ Very much so considering you don't speak Cheunh." Eli gave a knowing look to Trihorn who clicked his tongue.

 _"~Hah, right.~"_

"I'll send you the coordinates and the entry code to pass."

 _"~I'll see you in two weeks.~"_

"Two weeks? Doesn't your _X-factor_ have a Class 1 hyperdrive?" Eli asked incredulously.

 _"~The_ X-factor _is in a state of disrepair which will delay our journey slightly. We also need to make sure we don't run into any nebulas due to us entering uncharted space.~"_ Trihorn retorted with a nonchalant shrug.

"Very well, two weeks it is." Eli nodded before Trihorn's holoform fizzled out.

"Who was that, sir?" Eli's captain, Jombri asked in Sy Bisti.

"An old friend of mine whom I had considered to be killed after the destruction of the Empire." Eli said before turning to the bridge, "Set course for Csilla."

##

"Two weeks?! What am I supposed to do in two weeks?!" Lynx yelled at Trihorn who closed his ears at the loud outburst.

"You can go and help Hux. You know how bad he is at politics." Trihorn pointed towards the redhead who frowned.

"Excuse me?" Hux hissed.

"No offense but I need a way to get her off me." Trihorn whispered to Hux before facing Lynx again.

"Fine, I'll go help him." She scowled, agreeing with her brother despite knowing that he was lying.

"That's good." Trihorn nodded curtly before looking at a crewman. "Framann, establish contact with the other vessels."

"Done, sir."

"Let's go, Hux." Lynx motioned to the door and gave one final glare towards Trihorn before entering the turbolift.

Unexpectedly, colors returned to Lynx's vision and she saw Hux holding her hand in a sort of relieved manner. She tilted her head at him but the redhead didn't say anything and Lynx was left to stare at him until she caught herself doing so. She quickly looked forward and that was when the door opened allowing the both of them to walk out. Halfway through the walk, she glanced at him again and that was enough to get him to talk.

"Lynx, will you stop that." Hux narrowed his eyes at her.

"I want an answer." Lynx said with slight smugness in her tone that caused Hux to sigh.

"Apparently, something else has replaced that thread at the back of my mind. Now, I have this impulse to keep holding you as you provide me with more confidence than I've had even before Starkiller base." Hux explained and Lynx tilted her head slightly.

"What thread are you talking about?"

"Ren never did tell me what it was. He just left it as that." Hux shrugged slightly before entering his office.

This was actually the first-time Lynx saw Hux's office in complete colors. Like every other place in the _Finalizer_ , Hux's office was mainly grey colored with some red and black. He had a black carpet which blended with the floor, a coffee table and a couch to the left, the bar to the right and then his desk at the center back of the room. She was curious as to why there was a bar in his office instead of his quarters but she guessed that he needed some beverages while working. Speaking of which, Hux was already on his desk with a holopad, writing in those wonderful cursive letters.

"Have I ever told you how kriffing orderly you are?" Lynx said while looking over his shoulders to read the speech.

"No, you have not." Hux muttered although the corner of his lips lifted slightly into a smile.

"I wouldn't write that… The Chiss are all high and mighty. If we are to gain their trust and assistance, we will have to be humble." Lynx looked at Hux who frowned.

"I'm not bowing down to aliens."

"Thrawn was an alien. See where that got him." Lynx smirked as she knew she hit a mark. "Besides, just for the Chiss."

"Alright." Hux sighed rather reluctantly. "Just for these humanoids."

~~Four hours later~~

The wonderful skies of her dream world caused Mia to smile with contentment. She rarely ever dreamed this way anymore. Most of her dreams would be about violence or just a cold darkness that envelops her. Her weirdest dream had been her smooching with the… Light? She didn't even understand that dream but it was something to do with a ball of light and kissing. She let out a sigh and hoped that this dream never ended.

"Mia."

 _'SMACK!'_

"Ack! Mia! It's Ren!" Said First Knight groaned at the sudden hit that he had not foreseen with the force.

"Huh?" Mia slowly opened both of her eyes tiredly to see him on the floor beside her bed, rubbing his nose where she had hit him with a literal brick. "Sorry, Ren. Innate reflex."

"Right…" Ren drawled out the word in annoyance before fixing his nose. "I'm guessing Lynx and Trihorn also has them?"

"Only Lynx and she has the worst of it all. One time, an Ensign came to wake her and his skull cracked. It was not pleasant." Mia grimaced at the memory before getting up and yawned. "What's up anyways?"

"My master has ordered for our presence." Ren replied.

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Mia grinned and walked out the door before she stopped to look at Ren again.

"What?" Ren asked while getting up.

"Nothing. Let's go." Mia motioned with her hand for Ren to follow and the First Knight did so rather curiously.

"Is something wrong?" Ren queried while putting on his mask.

"Seriously, it's nothing. Just, thinking." Mia smiled slightly.

The walk to the communications room was quiet. Neither of them spoke and every trooper or officer moved out of their way, mainly Ren though as Mia enjoyed their company. Ren was puzzled by this but he didn't voice it out yet. He would ask once they were done reporting to the Supreme Leader. When they arrived, the communications officer didn't even need to be told twice as he was already establishing a connection. Once he managed to, Mia gulped but kept her face impassive as ever.

"Master, her training is nearly complete. We only need a little bit more time before she can join the other Knights of Ren." Ren started.

"I would like for her to come now. I need to see her progress myself." Snoke said.

"As you wish." Ren nodded before the two of them looked at Mia who seemed distant but what was even weirder was that he could finally enter her mind.

 _That's odd._ Ren thought as Mia must be really distracted if she had dropped her shielding.

"You have a question, Mia?" Snoke broke the silence.

"Y- Yes, sir." Mia said hesitantly. "I don't know if I can be separated from my siblings."

"A force bond should be able to reach my position." Snoke retorted, narrowing his eyes slightly when Mia gulped and she glanced at Ren who frowned beneath the mask.

He could see an image in her mind but she kept pulling it away from him. She was hesitating, choosing between showing or not showing and despite being in her mind, he couldn't hear her thoughts. She was either not saying anything or she was really that good in hiding her thoughts.

After a while, Mia spoke, "We will meet you there soon."

Snoke eyed her warily before he nodded and his holoform disappeared. Ren stared at Mia for a moment as he tried to deduce her current attitude. She was acting weird, that much he knew but he didn't know why. The image in her mind kept getting farther and farther away from him and it was getting annoying. He gave a glance towards the communications officer who immediately started shooing everyone out of the room. Ren gave a nod of thanks towards him before looking back at Mia when the door closed.

"Mia, what are you not telling me?" Ren queried while taking off his mask and setting it on the computer.

"Nothing. I'm going to the bridge." Mia turned to walk out but Ren managed to grab her wrist and stop her.

"It is troubling you. You want to show it to me and yet you don't know if you can trust me. We've been through a battle and you still don't?" Ren questioned and Mia didn't look at him. "Why?"

"I'm afraid, Ren." Mia said softly.

"Afraid of what?" Ren's grip became tighter as if that could force the answers out of her.

"I-… I'm afraid of what you would think of me if I did." Mia turned to look at Ren and beneath those magenta colored eyes, Ren saw fear and pain laced with hesitation.

"My view on you will not change, Mia. If you still do not trust me, I won't force you to tell me." Ren said softly and let go of her but Mia quickly grabbed his hands, squeezing it gently.

"My parents were Rebel sympathizers." She began. "They supported them even while being in Imperial controlled territory. I was nine years old when they helped the rebels escape. The Imperials found out about it and stormed the house, capturing us. I was set free but the Rebels used me to free my parents as they were useful for future operations."

"And?" Ren prompted when she suddenly went quiet.

"While escaping, the Imperials set up a trap. I was naïve and ran forward down the hall. I remember tripping a wire and pain searing my back before darkness… When I woke up, I was in a hospital with a detached part of my mind and heart. I climbed out the window, ignoring the doctors and nurses to survive on my own ever since." She continued, growing softer.

"Then, why are you so afraid to tell me about this?" Ren said gently causing Mia to shake her head and tears started falling.

"When I joined the Imperials where I started to feel connected, my siblings managed to get the records from the hospital I was put into. The detachment of the heart was expected as I felt the loss of losing my parents but the mind…" Mia looked up at Ren and took a step back. "I went insane, Ren. I _still am_ insane which is why my siblings never let me go alone or if I did, it would be to enemy territory. I cannot leave their side or else _everyone_ will suffer."

"The Inquisitorius. It was stated in your records." Ren said and Mia nodded, tears still streaming down her cheeks.

"The Grand Inquisitor noticed that I had the force within me and since I was one of the Empire's trio, he invited me over to practice on my force abilities. The truth is, he wanted to see if I could improve and join the Inquisitorius, to be his apprentice. I decided to join for fun and from what I remembered, I caused more trouble than I was worth. My siblings said that I kept stealing from them and during our trainings, I would be too dangerous for them to control. Dangerous in a sense where _I_ don't have any self-control." Mia sniffed and took another step back but Ren moved forward and pulled her into a hug.

"In short, I cannot leave my siblings _ever_."

##

"Kriff! Hand me that converter stat!" Trihorn yelled towards Mart who quickly gave it to him.

For the last four hours, Trihorn and the newly promoted Ensign Mart, have been on the _X-factor_ to start fixing the hyperdrive which was damaged when they left the battle. It was the only thing they had to repair before they could head out to Csilla. He was not looking forward the journey as uncharted space was dangerous and he hoped that he didn't run into a nebula or worse. He did plan to repair the weapons systems while in hyperspace. It would save a lot of time.

"Hyperdrive is active, Tri." Mart said and the electric blue haired man closed the panel with a satisfied huff.

"Finally! Stupid outdated wires." Trihorn tossed away said wire before looking at Mart who not only had oil on his hands but also his clothes. "You should clean yourself up."

"You should too." Mart smiled and Trihorn looked at himself to find a part of his uniform singed, his hands were super dirty and his pants slightly torn.

"Well, I still have more work to do. Go get yourself cleaned up then inform the others that we may leave for Csilla." Trihorn told Mart who saluted and left the room.

Trihorn went on to check the systems before opening the panel connecting the power to the weapons systems. He noted that the cables were fried but also outdated which caused him to roll his eyes and grumble. He started replacing the wires and reconnecting them to the system before entering the needed codes to get them online. There was a buzz causing him to look at the computer to see that the weapons were rebooting before it stopped and showed an error, one that caused him to slam his head on the wall.

"Blast! Mart!" He yelled into the communicator while rubbing his forehead to ease the pain.

 _"~Yes?~"_ Mart queried.

"Have you ordered us to jump into hyperspace yet?" Trihorn asked calmly despite his heart hammering in his chest.

 _"~No, sir.~"_

"Good, delay that order. If we jump now, our vessel will literally explode." Trihorn replied while scanning for the problem.

 _"~What?! Why?~"_ Mart started to panic but Trihorn's calm and assertive tone overrode that feeling.

"I need to replace the power couplings before it decides to set off a chain reaction with the weapons. It won't take long." Trihorn answered while running down the hall to find the broken coupling.

He almost slammed into a female crewman who had been running in the opposite direction of where he was heading.

"Woah! Careful." Trihorn managed to slide past the crewman who was smaller than him.

"Sorry, sir!" She said before her eyes lit up in surprise. "S- Sir! I was just looking for you!"

"Um, what and why? Actually, hold that thought." He grabbed her hand and dragged her towards a small maintenance room. "Go on."

"Uhm." The crewman blushed at being in such a tight space with her superior but Trihorn paid no attention to that and focused on replacing the coupling. "There's a call for you."

"By who?"

"We don't know. The code he gave was _'Smug'_." At that, Trihorn jerked his head back, pulling out the power coupling as well which caused the whole ship to power down.

"Kriff!" He quickly replaced it which stopped the chain reaction before turning to the young crewman. "Go to Ensign Mart and tell him that we can jump now. I'll go to answer the call."

"Y- Yes sir!" The young crewman was about to run off but Trihorn caught her attention again.

"Are you new around here?" He raised an eyebrow when she nodded.

"Yes, sir. The name is Crewman Isla, sir. Captain Phasma sent me to your vessel to assist you." Trihorn studied her features which consisted of a blonde hair, brown eyes and a uniform before he gave a nod.

"Welcome aboard, Crewman. Why don't you stay on the bridge? Tell Ensign Mart that I sent you there, if he asks that is."

"Yes, sir." Isla nodded before running off and Trihorn eyed her suspiciously before rolling his eyes.

"So Phasma, wanna play overwatch?" Trihorn smirked before running towards his office while speaking into his communicator, "Hoppins, send the call to my office."

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_

Trihorn entered his workspace which had been slightly cleaned up. He had all the junk he collected in the past taken out but left his pictures and trophies in the room. He still had his favorite picture ever framed on the wall behind his desk. Every time he looked at it, a feeling of nostalgia and longingness entered his heart but he pushed it aside and released a shaky breath. He looked at the beeping light of his communicator before letting out a groan.

"Alright, time to answer him." Trihorn fixed his uniform before pressing the button showing a man in his sixties and despite his graying hair and wrinkles, he still looked charming.

 _"~Trihorn, my why do you still look young?~"_

"Spare me the chat, Lando. Why are you contacting me?" Trihorn retorted, clasping his hands behind his back while Lando chuckled.

 _"~When I heard from the Resistance that a certain trio has returned, don't you think I would make contact to see if it was true?~"_ Lando tilted his head slightly with a smile before he continued, _"~I never did see your vessel over the battle of Jakku which I thought you would have partaken considering it will be the last battle. What happened?~"_

"My vessel was sucked into a black hole where I lived for three decades. While drifting, a large portal opened up and I steered the _X-factor_ through it to park beside the _Finalizer_ , the First Order's battle cruiser. We joined them and are now working with them." Trihorn explained as briefly as he could.

 _"~I see… Say, how are your sisters doing?~"_

"Charming but I ain't telling you anything." Trihorn retorted and was about to end it when Lando caught his attention again.

 _"~Wait! I have been wondering, if you're up for smuggling again like the old days.~"_

"Really? When I'm working for the First Order now you want me to smuggle? What is wrong with you?" Trihorn frowned when Lando chuckled.

 _"~There is nothing wrong with me, Trihorn. It is you.~"_ Lando's holoform pointed at Trihorn who smirked.

"If that's the case, then I'll gladly do it! However, I currently have to attend to something of importance. I will contact you in a standard month." Trihorn ended it there before Lando could ask any questions.

Then, he turned around to face the picture again with a small smile and a sad look. In the picture were three young teens, all around the same height with a Wookie behind them. The left teen had hazel eyes and had a black jacket with white inside t-shirt. The right teen had brown eyes and a blue uniform. In the middle was none other than Trihorn himself and this was taken before he ever joined the Imperials. He already knew Han Solo was killed, he read the reports himself but he just couldn't believe it.

"You never should have trusted anyone."


	11. Character Information

A.N. This isn't exactly a chapter but more of a character information detailing my OCs. The background will only consist of before the Empire instead of during. This is for those who have trouble remembering certain details of my character. I just also realized that this contains some spoilers for Trihorn's background as I have not gotten into him yet.

On a side note, yay to me for reaching ten chapters on Fanfiction with more than 200 pages written on Microsoft Word - 125% more out of all my other childish works.

* * *

Name: Trihorn Warrior

Age: 35

Gender: Male

Appearance: Electric blue hair and dark blue eyes. White uniform of a Grand Admiral which stays on even when he gets put into First Order ranks.

Attitude: During a battle, he is strict as he needs to focus on anticipating the enemies movements. When he goes quiet, it means that a plan has formed and he is waiting for the right moment to strike. The most dangerous part of the battle is when he doesn't fight back. Outside of battle, he loves a good game of Sabacc and partakes in drinking. He also tries to upgrade his vessel in any way possible but otherwise spends his time with the crew on the bridge. In disciplinary issues, he rarely ever deals with them and prefers to let Lynx or Mia do it.

Background: He is born on Naboo before the clone wars started. During the invasion of Naboo, he followed his parents to evacuate but he lost sight of them and was forced to live on the streets. However, he was found by a smuggler and taken in by him due to Trihorn's ability to fix his broken ship. The Smuggler ignored Trihorn who kept asking to fly the ship. It all changed when they were in pursuit of pirates and despite the vessel being damaged, Trihorn took over and managed to get them to safety. That was when the Smuggler taught him how to fly a ship and the different routes that was available.

When they visited Corellia, Trihorn is left there with Lando and the two quickly became brothers. While gambling, they met Han Solo and Lando decides to gamble the Millenium Falcon, despite Trihorn's protest and when they lost, it was on good terms. They went for their first mission together and succeeded in doing so. A few years later, Trihorn joins the Empire, planning to become a pilot but instead, he goes up the officer's rank. His devotion to the Empire was locked after what he calls _'The Incident'_ happened.

##

Name: Lynx Piro

Age: 31

Gender: Female

Appearance: Has a scar from her left forehead, over her left eye, curls down her left cheek and ends below the left ear which makes her left eye turn red from the sclera to pupils. Her right eye is gold in colour and she has orange hair. Wears an olive-green uniform with a Grand General plaque and later, wears a red and black Mandalorian armour (Design similar to Mandalorian amour when Darth Maul took over.)

Attitude: During a battle, she is usually the one leading with confidence but she made not sure to be overconfident. She is highly observant of her surroundings and cautious because she doesn't want any casualties to befall on her troop. Outside of battle, she likes to be around people and have lunch with them to find out their story of why they joined the cause. When she doesn't have anything else to do, she stares at the stars and reminiscence her past. In disciplinary issues, she takes over when Mia is unable to change them and let's just say, most troopers change after they get put under her wing... Most. Some are just too stubborn.

Background: She is born on Mandalore a year after the invasion of Naboo. Her parents left her before she met them and she was left in the care of a bounty hunter. At a young age, she was taught how to wield a weapon and how to defend herself. She became emotionless and cautious around her foster father while she was open towards the other Mandalorians. In her first test, she succeeded without trouble and was praised by the clan mother. She was sent off to her first assassination mission at the age of 9 and succeeded in killing the target the following year. She goes on for the next mission before having to return as House Blood went to war with House Vizla.

In the midst of war, her father was fatally wounded and she killed him without remorse. She brought back his body to be buried in the maze behind the clan hall. At the end of the following year, Lynx helped House Blood achieve victory and they conquered more land. Between the two clans, Lynx did the most kills and also protected her fellow Mandalorians, earning her the title of _Apărător._ After helping her clan rebuild, she goes off to take up more bounty hunting missions with her new armor and completes twenty missions that year. Two years later, she joins the Empire to protect her people but also to learn more skills from the schools.

##

Name: Mistress Sakomi (Mia)

Age: 28

Gender: Female

Appearance: Magenta eyes and violet hair. A grey ISB Agent uniform and later, brownish-purple Sith robe – similar to Assassin's Creed Evie Frye's master assassin outfit.

Attitude: During a battle, she would be the one to watch for any rebels or defectors but if there isn't, she would follow Lynx and be her second eye per se while fighting. Outside of battle, she is still looking out for defectors or spies but is as outgoing as Lynx in terms of hanging out with fellow officers/subordinates and she is more childish. In disciplinary issues, she is the one who gives the not-so-harsh jobs that ends up teaching them a lesson but otherwise, she would give the issue to Lynx.

Background: She is born on Corulag and left to a foster family while her real parents left the world. At the age of 7, she learns how to pickpocket from her parents and how to survive on her own, if the need occurs. She lives a more chill life and plays with the other children like any other normal childhood. She was also the most mischievous as her foster parents always find something new in her room that she had stolen. At the age of 9, her parents helped some rebels leave the planet using their company as transport. However, the Empire found out about it and they were captured but Mia was let go as she was still young and naive, not knowing what her parents was actually doing.

In the same year, Rebels returned to the planet to help her parents escape. She proved to be incredibly resourceful and useful as her small size allowed her to enter small vents and get everywhere. After freeing her parents and run down the hall, she tripped on a booby trap which set off a chain reaction of explosives behind her. She somehow survives and wakes up in a hospital. The doctors tried to keep her down but Mia escapes and lives out on the streets, hiding from troopers and doctors alike. Three years later, she gets captured and was left in a prison where she started to meditate. Another three years later, she meets Lynx and Trihorn before they get caught. After her siblings were questioned by the Emperor, she joins the ranks of the Empire and despite the fact that the Empire made her live on the streets, she found herself having fun again.


	12. Chapter 11

~~3 days later~~

"We require a place to build- No that won't work." Hux frowned before crumpling the piece of paper and threw it away then got to work on the next one.

"Huh what?" Lynx sat up from the couch and yawned before trying to reach Hux but stopped at the sight of all the crumpled paper strewn about. "Hux?"

"Hm? This won't do either!" Hux growled and shoved all the things away from his desk to cover his face in his hands.

"Hux, what's wrong?" Lynx questioned worriedly which only aggravated the General even more.

"I can't do it! I can't be humble to those aliens!" He scowled.

"Alright, relax." Lynx said soothingly while walking towards Hux as slowly as she could. "All you need is rest, Hux. I'm sure you'll get it then."

"There is no time. I have to report to Snoke as well. He will want to know where we are heading." Hux sighed before covering his mouth from a yawn.

"I can force you to sleep once again." Lynx smirked when he moved away.

"No, I have duties to do, Lynx. You cannot always control me just because you care for me." He hissed causing her to pout.

"Alright. How about this, Mia and Trihorn knows how to talk with the Chiss so we can ask them to write down a suitable speech which you will take time to memorize and I will be there to make sure you get it right. In the meantime, we go report to the Supreme Leader." Lynx suggested and Hux just stared at her blankly.

"Who are you and what have you done to Lynx?"

"Hux, I am Lynx." She rolled her eyes before putting her right hand on her hip. "I just have my moments, you know."

"Don't… It's weird." Hux muttered.

"Hey, I get out of character whenever I want but anyways, go clean yourself up. I will contact Trihorn and Mia." Lynx said and Hux sighed, knowing the tone meant 'you either comply or face the consequences'.

"You can be real troublesome sometimes."

"Not really. Trihorn calls it forced kindness. Now, get moving." Lynx smiled and watched as Hux leave before taking out her communicator.

 _"~Hello, Ewok delivery.~"_

"Brother." Lynx rolled her eyes at Trihorn's playfulness before saying, "I need you and Mia to write down a speech. Hux is unable to do it."

 _"~Of course, he's unable to do it. He's not a humble person. I'll get on it after I repair the weapons system.~"_ He replied.

"How long will that take?" Lynx asked while leaning against the desk.

 _"~Give or take a day. I'm about to be finished with these repairs and I plan to find a suitable place to test it out before continuing our journey.~"_ He replied and Lynx only shook her head.

"Alright, I'll inform Hux about that. Meanwhile, have you seen Mia at all?"

 _"~Nope. I think she was with Ren. Have you seen Phasma?~"_

"I've been cooped up in Hux's office. You think I saw her at all?" Lynx retorted and Trihorn just pouted.

 _"~Right. Did you know she sent a girl to be one of my crewman? I swear she's testing me.~"_

"Are you hallucinating, bro?" Lynx questioned before adding, "Why the kriff would Phasma send a girl to test you?"

 _"~It's a girl! She's testing my smuggler side! All I'm thinking about right now is hitting those booty with-~"_

"Okay, okay! I don't need to know that!" Lynx hissed while Trihorn laughed.

 _"~Sorry, wrong channel.~"_ He smirked. _"~I must say, that is what I think.~"_

"And you always overthink things." Lynx growled before it turned into one of curiosity, "Don't you think that crewman would be good for Mart?"

 _"~Holy! You're right! We gotta hook those two up!~"_

"You have to hook those two up. I'm going to be really busy."

 _"~Alrighty, I'll tell Mia about your plan.~"_

"Got it." Lynx ended the call just as Hux returned looking fresh and clean. "Trihorn says that we will stop at a planet to test out the _X-factor's_ weapons to make sure they're online."

"That will be useful in the upcoming future." Hux nodded before grabbing his coat from his chair. "Let's go."

"I take it you don't want my confidence yet?" Lynx said as Hux hadn't grabbed her hand.

He hesitated in answering, "I don't want to give in to this impulse. After the meeting, I will."

"Mm… Okay." Lynx nodded before they started walking down the hall. "Have you seen Phasma?"

"I saw her heading towards the training room… Why did you ask?" Hux looked at her with one raised eyebrow and she shrugged.

"Trihorn wanted to know."

##

Mia and Ren had not left his room ever since she opened up her mind to him. Ren had been trying to understand the memories in her mind while Mia just didn't want to do anything. So, they stayed together on the bed, staring at the ceiling or at each other while sifting through each other's memories. Mia was currently asleep and she stirred when she felt Ren view another of her memory. She was sensitive to it and Ren had to rub her arm to calm her down. After a while, he decided to wake her up.

"Mia," He said and the smaller adult opened both her magenta eyes slowly, "Do you want to report this to the Supreme Leader?"

"Mm…" Came the only reply as Mia was still lethargic from sharing her memories.

For some reason, it took out a lot of her energy doing that. Ren got out of the bed first and stretched. He looked at Mia who was currently sitting on the bed, her eyes closed while she tried not to fall back onto the bed. Ren let out a sigh and gently held her chin causing her to open her eyes.

"Go wash yourself, I'll be waiting." Ren ordered and Mia nodded sluggishly before doing a cat yawn.

"I won't take long." She said and got up, into Ren's personal shower.

She noticed a parcel on the floor and looked at Ren who motioned for her to take it. Mia let out a shrug and grabbed the parcel before entering the shower, locking the door behind her. As soon as Ren heard the shower turn on, Mia's communicator beeped and he was forced to answer it.

"Ren here."

 _"~Hey Ren, where's Mia?~"_ Trihorn asked and Ren glanced at the shower room.

"She's cleaning herself up. Why do you want to know?" Ren questioned.

 _"~Hux couldn't write down the speech. We have to do it.~"_ Trihorn said.

"Hmph, the General is surely lacking in that aspect." Ren scoffed slightly.

 _"~Not exactly. The General doesn't know how to be humble to aliens. Xenophobia is troublesome to get past. Luckily, I don't have it or Mia. Lynx has it for some aliens but not all.~"_ Trihorn chuckled and Ren glanced at the shower room again before sighing.

"Trihorn, I have to know. Do you still have the reports of Mia's time in the hospital? She doesn't have the recollection of it. I need to know." Ren said and Trihorn was quiet for a while.

 _"~She shared with you that memory, didn't she?~"_ Trihorn asked rather curiously.

"Yes." Ren nodded his head, despite knowing he was talking to a communicator, not a holoprojector.

 _"~I will send you the report once I'm free from my tasks. Are you doing something today?~"_ Trihorn queried.

"We were going to inform the Supreme Leader about her condition." Ren said.

 _"~Got it. I'll see you tomorrow. Also, now that she's open up to you, never leave her side Ren.~"_ Trihorn warned.

"Why?" Ren tilted his head slightly, a quizzical look on his face.

 _"~Insanity goes both ways.~"_ Trihorn ended the call just as Mia stepped out of the bathroom, fully dressed.

Ren felt himself taken back by how amazing she fit the robe. It was brownish-purple in color with a black colored cloth around her waist that was being held up by a red and purple belt. She was the only Knight with black jeans instead of a skirt, if Ren could recall his Knights correctly. Mia's violet hair was tied up neatly in a ponytail and she was blushing slightly from the way Ren was studying her. Immediately, he cleared his throat but his mind was still in awe at how beautiful she looked.

"Your brother just called and asked you to assist in writing a speech. Hux was unable to do it." Ren said, breaking the silence while he put on his mask.

"Okay." Mia nodded and walked towards Ren, taking his hand which caused the First Knight to feel an overwhelmingly sense of protection over her.

 _'That is not good.'_ He thought but he also forgot that Mia could read his mind.

 _'You will learn to control it… In due time.'_ She smiled and Ren did the same.

They left the room and started walking down the hall towards the communications room. Ren could sense the other troopers and officers worry for the small adult which caused Ren to growl at them behind his mask. However, he stopped growling when Mia jabbed him gently in the stomach, snapping him out of his overprotective stance. He let out a sigh before keeping his emotions in check when the door to the comm room opened.

##

"Adding the Chiss to our fleet will be useful indeed." Snoke said thoughtfully and Hux nodded in agreement.

So far, Hux and Lynx had explained Trihorn's plans to the Supreme Leader since Trihorn was on another vessel, he could not explain it himself. Thus, Hux had to pull up some reasons he thought the Grand Admiral had for the fleet but having Lynx with him helped. He was currently not holding her hand though as he was training himself to do these kinds of simple tasks without needing to do so. It would be useful in the long run, he hoped.

"See to it that you succeed, General or else the Chiss will turn against us." Snoke huffed.

"Unlikely that will ever happen. The Chiss prefer to stay neutral." Lynx retorted before she turned to look at the door when her echolocation told her that someone was coming.

Hux noticed her looking at the door so he turned to look as well and saw Ren and Mia standing at the now opened door. Hux was quite impressed by how Mia looked but he also knew that Lynx couldn't see it so he held her hand which caused Lynx to tense as colors returned to her vision. He saw her jaw dropped at the sight of Mia who was surprisingly embarrassed at that. Ren glanced between Mia and Lynx before he let go of her and walked towards Hux. The General released his hold on Lynx, allowing her to step forward and drag her sister out of the room so that the two men can continue a conversation with the Supreme Leader.

"Kylo, why isn't Mia in a shuttle heading to my location?" Snoke asked the First Knight who released a breath.

"Mia has a special condition, Master. She is not allowed to be left alone. It is said by her siblings that she goes insane and her time in the Inquisitorius has backed up the claim. She doesn't know what has happened to her during her time in the hospital, I have yet to find out about that." Ren explained, glancing between Hux and Snoke, the both of them looking intrigued.

"So, she cannot leave her siblings?" Snoke asked for a clarification and Ren nodded. "Then, after your journey with the Chiss, I want the whole fleet to return to me. It is time I meet the trio face-to-face."

"Yes, Supreme Leader." Ren and Hux bowed slightly before the holoform sizzled out and the door opened.

"Oh, it's done." Mia pouted slightly before getting her hair ruffled by Lynx who laughed. "Sis get off! You're messing my hair!"

"Good! I want you to laugh!" Lynx was shoved off roughly but she didn't care and started running down the hall, getting chased by Mia who started laughing.

"Get back here!" Mia yelled although she was still laughing.

Ren let out a sigh of relief as he was afraid Mia would stay moody the rest of their journey. It definitely did not fit her personality at all and he was just glad Lynx knew how to bring her out of it. Ren glanced at Hux who was already beginning to walk down the hall towards the bridge so Ren followed as he had been out of the loop for the past three days.

"What has happened while I was with Mia?" Ren asked.

"I would have asked you the same thing." Hux replied, glancing at the First Knight before looking forward, "I was busy trying to write a suitable speech."

"Which you failed at." Ren chuckled and at Hux's quizzical look, he added, "Trihorn told me."

"Figures." Hux growled slightly before entering the turbolift with Ren. "However, Trihorn has told us that he is planning to stop at a planet to test out his weapons. I'm wanting to see their vessel in action as well which is why I allowed the detour."

"A fan of weapons, General?"

"Of course, he also has rail guns and I would like to see it in action. Rail guns are extremely rare and exotic as they come from the Old Republic Era. I am still wondering how he received them." Hux said in thought before the turbolift reached the bridge and they stepped out.

"General, what a timing. Grand Admiral Trihorn requests for your presence." Mitaka greeted Hux and Ren in front of the turbolift.

"Put him through." Hux nodded while they walked down the walkway and towards the end, Trihorn's holoform showed up.

 _"~Greetings General. We are about to arrive at a remote planet where I will be testing the_ X-factor's _weapons. I was wondering if you would like to join me.~"_

"Certainly, Grand Admiral. I am quite curious of how you received the rail gun." Hux said and Trihorn let out a chuckle.

 _"~It was not easy and my black-market ties were better than most. However, I do not wish to disclose this information as many who have tried to replicate the weapon, only end up dead.~"_

"Are you speaking from prior experience?" Ren questioned and Trihorn grimaced at the thought.

 _"~Yes. Initially, I had five of the bad boys but one of them was stolen by an Imperial Scientist who tried to reverse engineer it. Let's just say that was the day Coruscant shook.~"_ He said.

"Shook?" Mitaka asked in disbelief.

 _"~The rail gun produced a massive explosion that destroyed the facility and caused the world to vibrate. I had been stationed in orbit when I heard and saw the explosion. It was like the death star erupted on that small piece of land.~"_ Trihorn explained and everyone on the bridge couldn't believe their ears.

"So, it's deadly. We got it." Hux broke the silence with simple sentences.

 _"~Anyways, back to main topic. I take it you are also coming aboard, Ren?~"_ Trihorn looked at the Knight who had been lost in thought.

"Yes, I will." Ren replied as he too was suddenly intrigued by the weapon.

 _"~If so, do not forget to bring Lynx and Mia. You do not want to leave them unsupervised.~"_ Trihorn added just as Lynx and Mia burst through the door.

Mia tackled Lynx to the floor where the ex-bounty hunter landed on her back and hit her head. However, she didn't care about the pain as she was laughing along with her younger sister. Every officer in the room turned to look at them and all of them were amused. Ren was annoyed and protective under the mask while Hux was just in a slight shock at the display. Trihorn shook his head before letting out a chuckle.

 _"~Tsk, professionals.~"_ He said and only then did Lynx look at where Trihorn should be considering her echolocation didn't actually show him.

"Hi bro." She smirked.

 _"~I'll see you aboard the_ X-factor _.~"_ He said and saw Lynx and Mia put two thumbs up before ending the call.

Mia moved away from Lynx who sat up only to wince at the pain from the back of her head, "Did you really have to tackle me that hard?"

"You asked for it." Mia smirked before helping her sibling up. "I'm bored."

"You can help Hux write the speech." Ren suggested and Mia beamed at the statement.

"Hell yes! Sis, join me!" Mia grabbed her sister's hand and started dragging her back to the turbolift.

Lynx only sighed and gave a glare towards the officers who chuckled at the display. She didn't really care, these people need some fun in their life but she was bored and cranky, especially after hitting her head. She was still wearing her Mandalorian armor which instilled some fear in the younger officers. Just as they left the bridge, Phasma arrived with her blaster in hand as she walked up towards Hux and Ren who were staring outside the viewport.

"General."

"Captain, why are you not with Trihorn?" Hux questioned Phasma who tilted her head slightly.

"I have been training the new Stormtrooper corps. Forgive me for not assisting the Grand Admiral." She replied.

"How are they coming along?" Hux asked.

He had forgotten about the new trainees. It had been Phasma's task to make sure they were just as good or even better than the FN Corps had been. He planned to make them one of the special squads that would body guard the superiors. Although, he doubted Lynx or Mia requires one.

"They are improving, General but I would like Lynx to assist me in continuing their training. Her Bounty Hunter and Mandalorian background will prove useful."

"Of course. However, I will be putting their training at a hold. We will be heading towards the _X-factor_ once we exit hyperspace." Hux told Phasma who nodded.

"I understand. I will allow another instructor to take over my position."

"That won't be necessary, Phasma. They will be joining us." Hux said and Phasma tilted her head once again.

"May I inquiry?"

"Yes, you may but I suppose you already know the answer. They will be a special task force who will only listen to us and the three Imperials. Therefore, they will need to know the power the other vessel possesses to be able to determine how to protect them at their own leisure." Hux said, glancing at the other officers who were luckily, doing something else.

"I do not need a special task force." Ren scowled slightly.

"Lord Vader had some. I would think they will be useful for future operations." Hux countered and at the mention of his grandfather, Ren tensed.

"Very well."


	13. Chapter 12

A.N. Ignore technicalities for the rest of the chapters as I have no idea how rail guns actually work - in space or atmosphere. This is also just a fictional world. :P

* * *

"Alright, we're arriving. All vessels, exit hyperspace." Trihorn ordered and the Captains did so.

They arrived at a brown planet where Trihorn used his vessel's enhanced scanner to search for any lifeforms. When the reports came back as none, he looked at the _Finalizer_ to find Ren's _Upsilon_ -shuttle leaving the bay and entering the _X-factor's_. Trihorn did some final checks before ordering the vessel to enter the planet's atmosphere which will make the rail gun more powerful than in space.

A minute later, the others joined him in the bridge and the female crewman from earlier on glanced at Phasma who nodded towards her. Trihorn noticed it but didn't say anything although he planned to get back to her somehow. He was also quite surprised to see troopers who looked like the death squadron that Director Krennic used, standing two rows behind them so he raised an eyebrow at Hux who dismissed it with the wave of his hand.

"They are for future plans." He whispered.

"Alright. Welcome ladies and gentlemen. Since I never really did formally greet you to the _X-factor_ , I will do so now. This vessel was given to me when I became Admiral which is… about 40 years ago. I have been upgrading it ever since and has fitted it with four HR-IO4 rail guns which were not easy to find. If you have any questions, you may ask." He said.

"How did you acquire them?" Phasma asked since she had not been there when Trihorn explained it.

"The black market sells the parts. Trihorn connected them with his magical powers." Lynx smirked at her brother who gave a disapproving look.

"You built it yourself? So, you know how to make one then." Hux deduced and Trihorn - whose disapproving look turned to a glare at Lynx - let out a sigh.

"Yes, I do know how to but I am unable to build another one of them. The parts that I received from the black market were the extremely reactive fuel cells that require special treatment. If anything happens to that part or if you try to recreate it, it will cause the loud explosion." Trihorn said then they all looked at Mia who hummed.

"Oh, I remember that day." She murmured with a smile. "I nearly fell into the crew pit."

"I remember having my ear checked afterwards… It was bleeding." Lynx shivered before looking at Trihorn, "Carry on."

"That was how bad the situation was. Everyone on Coruscant and even the vessels stationed outside had to get their ears checked. Even the Emperor and Darth Vader. I do not want that to repeat again." Trihorn sighed before turning on his heel to look outside the viewport. "Mart, is the weapon fully charged?"

"Yes, sir." Mart nodded, tapping in a few more keys before holding a lever. "Permission to fire, sir?"

"Don't get too eager." Trihorn said and glanced at Hux who stood beside him. "From here, you can see the rail gun on the hull, portside and starboard. There is one on the underside and there was supposed to be one on the bow but it was stolen."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?" Hux questioned and Trihorn chuckled while an AI-piloted TIE fighter to flew ahead.

"Nope. Fire!" Trihorn ordered and Mart pulled down the lever which opened a button that he immediately pressed with his other hand.

The rail guns charged a ball of red electricity in its mouth before it was shot straight through the air and hit the TIE fighter with deadly accuracy. The TIE disintegrated in the ball of red and completely disappeared leaving not a single speck of dust to hit the ground. Trihorn smiled while the others were in awe at how powerful the weapon was. Lynx smiled behind her helmet while Mia let out a cat yawn as she was still tired from expending her powers.

"Alright, bring out the turbolasers. Send another AI out." Trihorn ordered before looking at Hux. "After this test, I might let you have some fun with the rail guns."

"It can be manually controlled." Lynx added at their quizzical look.

"Really?" Hux was surprised and also eager to try out the weapons.

"A precaution when the rail gun is unable to hit its target. A gunner will be stationed there when we go into the battle and he will manually control the gun when I say so." Trihorn explained with a smile while the turbolasers decimated the TIE fighter. "Alright, Mart. Transfer manual control to rail gun."

"Uhm, a little confused with that." Mart replied sheepishly and Trihorn walked over to the console.

"The readings are starting to fade… You press the green button, Mart and then pull the second lever down. That will give manual control." Trihorn directed and Mart did so.

"Yes, sir." Mart nodded before they left the bridge and head down to the center level of the _X-factor_.

"Ren, Phasma, would you like to try the rail guns?" Trihorn asked the two and they nodded. "Another date night I suppose?"

"Might as well. We don't know when we might get this chance again." Lynx piped up with a smile as she held Hux's hand, allowing colors to return to her vision. "I feel like we need to repaint the halls."

"Yep. I'm planning for it." Trihorn agreed. "So, Ren and Mia can take the portside, Phasma and I will take starboard then Lynx and Hux can take the hull."

"Then the special squad?" Lynx pointed at the troopers who were just standing idly at attention.

"Split into three groups. Group one will follow Ren, group two will follow me and group three will follow Trihorn." Hux ordered before they walked down the hall, the troopers separating into their groups.

##

Ren and Mia reached their rail gun first as the both of them took long strides down the hall. Ren felt like a little child again as he was keen to try out such a deadly weapon. The rail gun looked huge compared to when they were up in the bridge. It was easily four times their height and there were two controls. One of them was for the rail gun itself, targeting and firing while the other was a quad laser cannon for taking out fighters aiming for the rail gun. All in all, it would be a formidable task to try and take down the special weapon.

"How do I operate this?" Ren asked while he fumbled with the controls and Mia nearly fell on her face when the rail gun swerved suddenly.

"Ren please." She scowled while holding his shoulder. "You're going to give me a headache."

"I wasn't told of the controls beforehand." He huffed causing Mia to roll her eyes.

"Because I haven't told you." She hissed annoyingly and added, "Left joystick to look around, right joystick for firing and changing modes."

"There are different modes?" Ren questioned and Mia nodded.

"Trihorn added rocket turret and Gatling gun mode, just in case the enemy was being a pain in the butt." She explained before pointing at an AI TIE fighter that was just dispatched. "See if you can hit it."

Ren fired the rail gun once which missed so he fired a second time and found his mark. He smiled underneath the mask, feeling a sense of achievement so he went on firing the second target… And the third. He was having fun. He was having more fun now than his time with his family…

 _Fun. Fun fueled the light._ He slowly became more conscious at the pull to the light side so he ended it there and stood up abruptly, nearly knocking Mia off her feet.

"Aw, you're done?" Mia pouted at Ren who only glanced at her from the corner of his mask.

"Yes, we have work to do." Ren said and quickly walked out of the rail gun, dismissing the troopers.

Mia sighed and looked at the controls before following Ren back to the bridge. She was so close. She jogged to catch up with him before she reached for her communicator when it beeped.

 _"~Dinner time.~"_

##

Phasma took the control seat and listened to Trihorn explain the controls. She did a little bit of a test before aiming for the AI flying about. She fired a shot which missed so she tried again and received the same treatment. Her heart leapt when Trihorn placed his hands over hers and sort of guided her in aiming for the AI.

"Steady." Trihorn whispered beside her ear as he was standing behind her. "It's like aiming a blaster."

Phasma released a breath and allowed Trihorn to guide her in hitting the AI. She felt proud when they hit the TIE and she looked at him with a smile behind her mask. He was also looking at her with a smile on his face. Another AI flew out and this time, Phasma took control instantly and destroyed it causing Trihorn's smile to widen before he stood straighter.

"How do you find the weapon?" He asked while Phasma studied the interior of the rail gun.

"It is definitely powerful. I can see why you take such good care of it." She replied and saw Trihorn's stance relax. "It also feels like a lot of power is being drained when using this."

"It does." He nodded. "There's a reason why I have a specified gunner for the rail guns. The gunners are patient and know when to shoot and when not to. When to risk, and when to play safe. The gunners can also specify how sensitive they want the controls to be so that they are more comfortable with it."

"What if you need to clean the room?" Phasma queried as it seemed like a speck of dust would really be trouble for the gunners.

"Usually, no one disturbs the controls and the gunners will clean the room in the midst of battle, before they gain control. I have cleaned up and reset everything a few days ago so that I can prepare the new breed of rail gunners." Trihorn shrugged.

"Interesting. Has anyone ever destroyed the rail guns?" She tilted her head slightly.

"Thankfully no. These rail guns are not cheap to make. Therefore, I try to take every precaution available to keep them safe. It's the only reason why there's a separate section for a quad laser cannon – which are super reliable." He chuckled before motioning with his head to go out. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I have not."

"Thankfully, the _X-factor_ has food." Trihorn said, patting the wall. "I can cook a special cuisine if you'd like."

"I would be honored to try it." Phasma said causing Trihorn to smile before he rolled his eyes.

"Phasma, that's just weird. Drop the act already." He grinned when Phasma let out a sigh.

"Alright. Troopers, you may leave." She dismissed the troopers who walked down a separate hall.

"I still wonder what Hux has planned for them." Trihorn said.

"I do as well." Phasma nodded before watching Trihorn take out his communicator.

"Jomes, you may jump to hyperspace. We still have a lot of ground to cover and so little time."

 _"~Right away.~"_ Jomes replied before Trihorn changed the comm channel.

"Dinner time."

##

Compared to Phasma and Ren, Hux was having the time of his life on the rail gun. He continuously fired at the AI's that flew out and never did stop until Lynx let out a yawn. It was the kind of yawn that said playtime is over. Hux glared at Lynx who only gave a cheeky smile.

"Are you done? As fun as it would be for you to keep decimating our limited resources, we have other work to do." Lynx gave him a look and Hux reluctantly nodded.

"Fine." Hux stood up acquiescence before looking at Lynx curiously, "Do you know how to operate this?"

"Trihorn forced the officers to learn how to control, aim and fire one of them. In this case, I went through one month of training to learn how to control the rail gun, how to defend it and how to know when to shoot. It was annoying." Lynx scowled at the memory before looking back at Hux who was staring at her intently. "Anything to add?"

"Do you think you can teach me?" He asked while dismissing the troopers.

"Hah!" Lynx knocked her head back before bringing it down in thought. "Kriff… That's actually not a bad idea. It's a shame I don't remember what was taught to me though. You will have to ask Trihorn about it."

"I'll keep that in mind." Hux nodded before looking forward when Lynx's communicator beeped.

 _"~Dinner time.~"_

"Who's cooking?" Lynx questioned.

 _"~Take a guess.~"_ Trihorn said and Lynx glanced at Hux before breaking into a smirk.

"Aw, I thought you would cook it."

 _"~And why?~"_

"Cuz I don't have plans for one." Lynx said just as they met up with the others in the hallway.

"Typical." Trihorn rolled his eyes.

"Hey, don't blame me." She scowled before looking at Mia who seemed down for some strange reason. "Hey sis, you okay?"

"Yeah, just thinking." Mia replied and Lynx knew she wasn't actually okay.

She nodded towards Trihorn who returned the gesture and caught the others' attention while Lynx led Mia to a separate room. She made sure to lock the door behind her and watched as Mia took a seat, sighing exasperatedly. They stayed like that for a while before Lynx decided to break the silence.

"So, problem with Ren?" She asked and Mia nodded.

"Boys, am I right? He was so close to the balance but he pulled back into the dark." Mia ran a hand through her long violet hair which she had let loose earlier on. "How is he going to be successful if he does that?"

"Vader did stay in the dark." Lynx mused before seeing her sister sink back in the seat.

"I know that but Ren isn't like Vader at all. There's a light side to him that is just yearning to be let out but he isn't listening to it. It's like talking to a brick wall." Mia sighed again, this time with annoyance before looking at Lynx. "What about you and Hux?"

"We came to a conclusion a long time ago. We still have our differences but he's decided to listen to me for the final vote." Lynx replied before looking at her watch and walked towards the door. "Come on, we still have a romantic dinner to run."

"Perfect." Mia blew a strand of hair away from her face before getting up and followed Lynx to the dining room.

##

"So, what'd you guys like? Twi'lek cuisine or – _force forbid_ – Hutt cuisine?" Trihorn asked the officers.

"Hutt cuisine?" Ren questioned curiously and Trihorn only waved him off.

"I learned it for fun." He shrugged before standing by the doorway to the kitchen. "Alright, Phasma you may take a seat, Hux and Ren, you may join me in the kitchen."

"Wait what?" Hux questioned and Trihorn gave a look.

"Be a man and cook your love a dinner." Came the retort and Ren let out a chuckle at Hux's surprised look.

"Tri, I can't cook." Hux frowned slightly while getting pushed by Ren to enter the kitchen.

 **"Learn."** Ren and Trihorn said at the same time.

"I don't even know what to cook!"

"Hux, don't be stubborn." Trihorn huffed, tossing a kitchen apron to the two men. "Do you need me to break into a song just for cooking?"

"N- No…"

"Then watch. We'll make the simplest of dishes first before we go to the hard ones." Trihorn looked inside the fridge and took out a dead fish. "I will help you cook Lynx's favorite dish, which you may serve to her. Then, you will tell Phasma why her dish was delayed."

"Fair enough." Hux let out a huff as he didn't want to do this at all.

"Ren, do you know how to cook noodles?" Trihorn asked the Knight who had taken off his mask.

"Yes." Ren nodded while grabbing the ingredients neatly labelled on the cabinets.

"You keep everything in check." Hux was amazed at the labels while Trihorn chuckled.

"I didn't do it actually. I ordered the chefs to do it. The kitchen was in such a mess that my brain couldn't handle it and I snapped, which resulted in a long eh…" Trihorn shrugged. "Speech."

"Interesting." Hux hummed while looking at the items Trihorn had gathered on the table. "Are these all the ingredients we need?"

"Yes. I always have a mental list of what is required." Trihorn tapped the right side of his temple before looking at Ren. "Don't forget the spices."

"So, where do we begin?" Hux looked at Trihorn expectantly and the Admiral cracked his knuckles.

"Time to dance with fire."

##

"Girl talk!" Mia squealed and sat down beside Phasma while Lynx rolled her eyes.

"Must you really break my ears?" She scowled, glancing at the kitchen door before taking a seat to the right side of Phasma.

"Yes. So, what do you think of our brother?" Mia looked at Phasma who took off her helmet, showing her bright blue eyes.

"He is rather intriguing. One minute, he can be sarcastic. Another minute, he can be serious without any prompting. How does he do that?" Phasma queried.

"I feel like he has a switch in his mind to change to smuggler persona and Grand Admiral persona. It's weird but very effective." Lynx said thoughtfully before glancing at the kitchen again. "Does Hux know how to cook?"

"No, he doesn't. I was slightly worried about that."

"Don't have to be, Trihorn is teaching him." Lynx nodded towards Mia who smirked and made her way to the kitchen.

"What is she doing?" Phasma tilted her head slightly at Mia who snuck in.

"She's doing what she does best… I have to ask you something," Lynx muttered the last sentence in a serious tone.

"Yes?" Phasma questioned, silently wishing she had her mask on so that her emotions wouldn't betray her.

"I overheard and read the reports of a defector, FN-2187."

"What about him?" Phasma was tense but it was masked under an impassive look.

"Why did he defect?"

"He broke out of his conditioning and helped a Resistance fighter escape."

"I've read the reports, Phasma." Lynx looked slightly annoyed before she repeated more firmly. " _Why_ did he defect?"

Now, Phasma _really_ wished she had her mask on, then she could let her emotions show on her face. She glanced at the kitchen door, hoping that Mia or someone would exit and give her a way out but no one came. After a while, she relented and told her that it was Hux's fault.

"What did he do?" Lynx tilted her head slightly towards the kitchen door while Phasma continued.

"I warned him but he didn't listen. He told me to deal with it but nothing worked until FN-2187 tipped over the edge and betrayed us."

"Hm..." Lynx hummed in thought and Phasma could see slight mischief and fury swirling in her eyes.

"What are you thinking?" Phasma queried albeit hesitantly.

"Someone has to teach him." Lynx smirked and watched Mia leave the kitchen with a piece of cracker in her hand which she swallowed in one bite.

"You know, Ren isn't that bad at cooking actually." Mia giggled along with Lynx like little schoolgirls before adding, "Should we bed them?"

"I'm afraid I don't understand that..." Phasma said which caused Lynx and Mia's smirk to widen.

"I'm sure Trihorn can lead you. We have to lead our men." Lynx chuckled and fist bumped Mia. "I already plan to, sister."

"Well, I'll see you in a week." Mia giggled.

"Agreed sister. First, this is ruining my appetite thinking about it." Lynx tapped her tummy to express her point.

"Really? It's making me hungry." Mia said before yawning afterwards.

"How do you two even know about this?" Phasma questioned curiously and Lynx leaned back thoughtfully.

"I saw it happen." Mia shrugged nonchalantly. "I lived as a thief, remember? I'm bound to see those things and let's just say it was enlightening. I had to do it myself when I was captured by ruffians."

"My adoptive father forced me to do it on my assassination target. He said that it was the best method of distraction considering I am a lady." Lynx said when Phasma looked at her. "I'll be honest though, best time of my life."

"Why?" Phasma asked albeit reluctantly.

"Oh boy, the look on his face when I placed my blaster right in his mouth. It was priceless. Actually, it was the best reaction I could have asked for." Lynx grinned before her nose caught scent of the fish being cooked. "Mm, my mouth is watering."

"What dish is your favorite?" Phasma said, managing to grab their attention again as the two ladies had been staring at the kitchen door.

"Anything Mon Calamari. I have a soft spot for seafood and anything meaty." Lynx answered with a longing look on her face.

"I have a love for spicy noodles. Otherwise, anything to keep me alert." Mia clicked here tongue before sinking back in her seat and sighed contently. "Damn, I'm starving."

"Why don't you continue the speech now?"

"Good idea! I'm nearly finished with it." Mia smiled and magically took out a pen and the piece of paper containing the speech from her pockets and started writing on the table.

"What should I take note of the Chiss?" Phasma queried.

"They are extremely sensitive and have a high opinion of themselves. My tip, be humble and act like you're not there. The Chiss are powerful and they can take you out in less than a second." Lynx said firmly and Phasma nodded.

"Got it."

"Dinner's served!" Trihorn yelled from the door, surprising the trio. "Sorry about the delay but Hux didn't know how to cook so he helped me cook."

"You're not going to let that go, are you?" Hux scowled at Trihorn's mischievous smirk.

"Nope!" Trihorn giggled along with the others before putting the food in front of Phasma.

Phasma was quite surprised to find the food to be something that she liked when she was younger. She glanced at Trihorn suspiciously but the man only shrugged in response. Hux and Ren placed their food in front of Lynx and Mia respectively. Lynx's eyes brightened at the sight of her favorite dish and she knew that Trihorn had a hand in doing this. It looked exactly like the one she preferred and that goes a long way. Mia let out a squeal before hugging Ren and thanked him for the dish. Everyone else stared at her like she was insane.

"Thanks, Hux and you too, bro. For the meal." Lynx smiled before carefully slicing the fish to let the aroma reach her nose.

She inhaled before exhaling it with a satisfied sigh and started chomping down her food while subconsciously remembering about Hux. Mia too started slurping her noodles and she allowed Ren to eat it with her at the same time. Trihorn allowed Phasma to eat first before he took his own bite. Once Lynx was satisfied, she gave Hux the rest and it was exactly half of the fish, just for the General. Hux took it gratefully and started eating like a gentleman while Lynx laid back on her seat, gratitude written on her face. Mia relaxed on her seat a minute later, allowing Ren to finish the meal while she patted her tummy in satisfaction.

"It can't get better than this." Mia yawned before snuggling closer to Ren while the First Knight tried to finish the spicy noodles.

"I agree." Lynx muttered, putting her head on Hux's shoulder and the General allowed it while he tried to finish his meal.

"Comments on the cooking?" Trihorn asked expectantly and Lynx gave a thumb down at him. "I'll take that as a victory. Mia?"

"Perfect." She replied sleepily and Trihorn rolled his eyes.

"You're always sleepy like a Loth-cat."

"Thanks." Mia smirked before yawning again. "I'm just tired…"

"What about you Phasma? How was my cooking?" Trihorn asked the Captain who smiled.

"It's great. The taste is decent and I'm assuming you are a mediocre at cooking."

"Mediocre psh. I had to refer to the holonet for this dish. I completely forgot how to make it." Trihorn scratched his head before shrugging. "Where's the speech?"

"Here." Mia passed the paper and Trihorn took a look at what was written so far.

"I'll start working tonight." He nodded.

"You're not going to bed her?" Lynx questioned and Hux stiffened at the feeling of lust rushing through the contact.

"Uh…" Trihorn glanced at Phasma and the paper with his mouth wide open before closing it with a hum. "I guess this can wait but if we procrastinate too long, Hux will have to speak by instinct or we can have Eli make up a speech on the spot."

"Too much work on the old man's shoulders, don't you think?" Lynx smirked when Hux pushed away the food although he already finished it.

"Nah, it's easy. Come on, we better not hold back the romance for the night." Trihorn winked at Phasma which caused her to blush while she put on her helmet.

Slowly but surely, they started filing out of the canteen, heading to their own offices.

* * *

A.N. If it seems a little abrupt, I've run out of ideas for filler chapters. Anyways, next chapter will be slightly mature but I don't go into details so it's still safe for younger readers. I'm also not the type to really put in details into sex stuff so... Good day?


	14. Chapter 13

Trihorn opened the door to his office but before he entered, he turned to Phasma with a smirk.

"After you, m'lady." He bowed slightly while motioning for her to enter which she did.

He entered a minute later and closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it so that no one would disturb them for the week. He hoped it would be a week, otherwise he would have to change his plans and he hated adapting to the unforeseen circumstances. He already had a plan in case they ran into a nebula or a star cluster but otherwise, he was screwed. Out of habit, he took out his communicator and contacted Mart.

"Mart, still alive?" He asked.

 _"~Yeah.~"_ Came the tired reply followed by a yawn. _"~Sorry, sir.~"_

Trihorn let out a chuckle before smiling, "You can take a break, Mart. Ask someone else to take over for the day. Also, do not contact any of us until we arrive at Csilla or encounter a very important problem, understood?"

 _"~Crystal.~"_ Mart agreed before Trihorn cut the link.

"I see a problem, Admiral." Phasma spoke up and Trihorn looked at her with one raised eyebrow.

"Problem?"

"There is no bed." She said and Trihorn let out a laugh.

"Seriously Phasma? You are in the presence of this universe's smartest man who can sing - sadly not dance -, command a vessel with great efficiency, successfully smuggle the most illegal items and improve any weapon or shuttle to the best of its ability and this is what you ask?" Trihorn wiped a tear away before he slammed a button that was to the left of the door.

Everything in the room started shifting, from the desk to the ceiling light and Phasma found herself having to move to Trihorn so that she didn't get trapped by one of them. She was in awe at the transformation because an ISD was actually very compact and the fact that Trihorn managed to do this without hindering any other work, it was incredible to say the least. Trihorn enjoyed her reaction to probably the best masterpiece he had ever thought of other than the rail guns.

"I'll be honest, this is my favorite and most hated project ever." He admitted once the room stopped shifting.

The desk and chair was now replaced by a queen-sized bed, the memoirs of his academy and smuggling days were displayed to the left, a small desk and chair to the right and some other ornaments to make the room homier. Trihorn gently took out Phasma's helmet and let out a chuckle when he saw that her jaw had dropped during the whole display. He also took away her blaster and placed the both of them on the desk that had a few holopads. Then, he gingerly grabbed her hand and led her to the bed where he proceeded to slowly take off her armor, piece by piece.

"How did you do it?" Phasma asked when Trihorn took off one of her boots.

"A lot of planning and trying. I was stuck in the black hole so I managed to complete this task." He replied with a smile.

"It must have been annoying." She commented.

"It was. I had to work with limited space and it didn't help that I was doing it alone after all my favorite engineers were sent off." Trihorn huffed before standing up and took off his jacket.

"I have asked your siblings how they know about this and they gave interesting answers… What about you?" Phasma questioned and Trihorn fake coughed.

"Oh, geez. I did it during my free time when I had no other missions." He replied and saw rage cross over her features so he quickly added. "I didn't get any one of them pregnant… At least not that I know of but I swear to you, after I joined the Empire, I stopped doing that work."

"You're a scoundrel." Phasma scowled before getting pushed onto the bed with Trihorn on top of her.

"Admit it, it's what makes you attracted to me." He purred and Phasma gave a smile.

"So, how does this work?" She asked innocently causing him to chuckle.

"Just lie back and I'll make this work."

##

"This is where it began." Lynx muttered, bringing Hux into her office.

Nothing much changed in her office. There was the painting still on the right side of the wall, the transparisteel windows showing the hangar bay and the desk with the comfortable looking chair. Hux looked at Lynx questioningly and she only placed her blaster on the display before pushing it down twice to open up a secret door. She looked back at Hux with a smile before entering the room and Hux followed, feeling rather anxious about what's coming. He was distracted though at the sight of the room which was slightly more colorful than the office. There was a green colored carpet on the floor, a study table with a few stacks of holopads to the right, the bed to the left and another door which he believed to be the bathroom up ahead.

"My private quarters, when I say that I don't want to be disturbed." Lynx explained Hux's quizzical look.

"Why do you have the holopads here?" Hux asked, taking one of them from the top of the stack.

"It makes my office look cleaner. In here, I can be as messy as I want." She smiled before tapping a control on the right side of the desk. "I can also choose between wanting to view the hangar or wanting no distractions as this is a one-way window."

"Don't you think this defeats the purpose of trusting others?" Hux frowned when Lynx chuckled.

"There are just some secrets not worth sharing." She smirked before pulling Hux to the bed. "In this case, I'm willing to share all my secrets with you."

Hux gulped and tugged at his collar when he felt himself drowning in the feeling of lust. He was nervous but Lynx's feelings overpowered his own and soon, he found himself with his back on the bed and Lynx on top of him with a smirk. She still had her armor on but at least she had placed her helmet on the bedside table. When she trailed the left side of his face with the back of her left hand, that was when Hux gave in to the feeling and pulled her into a kiss.

"You really know how to do this." He murmured while Lynx smiled.

"There are just some things that you cannot control."

##

It took a while for Ren and Mia to reach their destination and when they arrived, he took the time to study her office. Unlike Trihorn or Lynx, Mia's office was relatively empty save for the cryo tank and the desk. He looked at Mia who was knocking on the wall, trying to find a secret door. After two minutes, a hollow echo caused Mia's face to light up before she pushed down a hidden button. It opened up the door and she motioned for Ren to follow. The Knight did so, already understanding where this was going but he didn't really care. He was instead, quite curious of this strange little feeling that Mia was trying very hard not to surface.

"Mia, why are you, depressed?" He asked when they arrived at the room.

Mia didn't answer while taking off her boots and putting them neatly at the foot of the bed. Ren took off his helmet and placed on the desk before letting out a sigh. He needed to get her to talk as the silence was killing him on the inside.

"Mia, answer me."

"The force within you is strong, Ren but you still choose to ignore one side. Is there a reason to it?" She asked quietly.

"The light side is weak! How many times must I tell you this?" Ren hissed before putting up his mental barriers as Mia did the same. "You still don't trust me."

"Not when you have sunken deep in the dark side." Mia retorted before grabbing her lightsaber and lit it up. "Try not to damage anything."

"Mia…" Ren said but had to block a blow from the small adult.

Ren found himself fearful of her as she was being too quiet and focused for something that should be playful. He blocked her overhead swing and force pushed her but Mia put up a shield that prevented her from flying. She hopped back before doing a horizontal swing which Ren blocked again. He could feel the anger and disappointment from Mia but he could also see how the force swirled around in her which caused him to blink. It was like the wind except the dark side and light side were not flowing against each other. They were flowing past in a smooth motion that made it look seamless in his eyes. The longer he stared, the more he felt like that there was no difference at all in the flow which caused him to tilt his head slightly to the left.

"Think of the power, Ren." Mia said softly over the sound of the lightsabers. "Think of what you could achieve when you have balance."

"Is this how you bed someone?" He asked instead of the burning question in his mind which caused Mia to jump back with an annoyed look on her features.

"Special case." She muttered and kept her lightsaber. "Now that you have seen the true power of the force that not many have achieved, will you join me in the bed?"

"I'm not sure I want to after that feat." Ren smirked when Mia rolled her eyes and gave him a look.

"Okay, fine. You may sleep outside." Mia grinned before jumping onto the bed, Ren following suit and the two snuggled closer together at first.

"So, who's leading?"

~~6 days later~~

 _'Beep beep! Beep beep! Beep beep!'_

"Who in the universe?" Trihorn let out a yawn before grabbing his communicator on the bedside table. "This better be important."

 _"~It is sir… It's the Resistance.~"_ At that, Trihorn immediately stood up to find himself freezing due to his nude form.

"Ah cold! What do you mean the Resistance?" Trihorn asked while running to grab his uniform and a pair of underpants from the closet.

 _"~They've found us. We haven't engaged with them yet but we are about to.~"_ Mart elaborated, slightly tremulous.

"Eta?"

 _"~5 minutes.~"_ Trihorn let out a string of curses but was lucky enough not to wake the Captain with those words.

"Contact General Hux and Lord Ren, tell them of the predicament and to also let the ladies continue their rest." Trihorn ordered while running out of the room after making sure he had zipped his pants, buttoned up his shirt and put on his boots.

 _"~Won't the_ X-factor _shake when we get hit which in turn will wake them up?~"_

"I've improved the shields before the weapons system so we shouldn't be affected. Besides, Lynx and Mia can get way too cranky when disturbed out of their sleep."

 _"~Alright, sir.~"_ Mart ended the comms just as Trihorn entered the bridge.

He gave a quick glance towards the others before standing at his designated spot in the bridge. He narrowed his eyes when he saw the Mon Calamari cruisers heading their way. It was odd as the Resistance shouldn't be able to track them this far out in the Unknown Regions.

"Have we scanned for a tracker on all vessels?" Trihorn asked Vix while Mart was in the background, contacting his other superiors.

"Yes sir, but reports come up as none." Vix replied.

"Blast. It was luck then." Trihorn hissed, knowing full well how it worked. "Is the _Finalizer_ ready?"

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_ Mitaka materialized beside Trihorn in his holoform and the Grand Admiral gave a nod to his presence as well as the other Captains' holoforms.

"All vessels, stay behind and just below the _X-factor_. We have a stronger shield that can withstand more hits. I will tell you when to move forward." Trihorn glanced at Mitaka and the other vessels which were beside the _X-factor_ before looking back forward again, ordering. "Deploy all TIE fighters."

While moving into position given by Trihorn, the TIE fighters flew out of the _Finalizer_ as well as the other ISDs and into battle. X-wing fighters were also deployed from the Resistance ships and a battle ensued. Trihorn didn't bother glancing behind him when he heard footsteps running up to him. He was more focused on wondering when to take out the rail gun to end the fight.

"Trihorn, what is going on?" Hux questioned.

"We were somehow found by the Resistance and I'm guessing it is by luck." Trihorn answered before looking at Mart. "Is the rail gun ready?"

"Almost, sir." Mart replied, flipping some levers on.

"Isn't the rail gun better in atmosphere?" Hux asked and Trihorn let a smile form on his lips.

"It has different modes for a reason, General." Trihorn said before looking at Mart. "Change mode to rocket turret and target the X-wings. Collateral damage will strike fear into their hearts."

Mart did as he was told and soon, a volley of rockets trailed out of the rail guns which had transformed into rocket turrets. One by one, the X-wings started exploding in the soundless void and Trihorn found himself closing his eyes, allowing the little blasts of light to fill his darkness like lightning. After a while, he reopened his eyes to notice most of the X-wings destroyed while the ones left were predictably moving back to the capital ship to defend it. He gave a smirk before nodding towards Mitaka who called all TIEs back.

"Hoppins, establish a connection with the capital ship."

"Yes, sir." Hoppins pressed some button before the holoform of a Mon Calamari appeared in front of Trihorn.

"Am I right to assume that you are Admiral Gial Ackbar?" Trihorn said with an impassive look on his face.

 _"~Who are you?~"_ The Calamari asked, moving his head to the right so that his left eye could study Trihorn better.

"Should I keep you guessing? Hm... How about this, you surrender and I will tell you my name. Fair?" Trihorn said, his eyes glowing slightly while he made the offer.

 _"~Never!~"_

"Very well." Trihorn nodded towards Ackbar's holoform which slowly sizzled out. "Mart, prepare the rail gun at half power. All vessels, move forward after laser show. I want him captured."

 _"~Yes sir.~"_ The other Captains nodded.

"Laser show?" Ren asked slightly amused and Trihorn gave a smirk.

"Rail gun charged, sir." Mart said.

"Fire at will." Trihorn said while Hux and Ren stood by his side as the other holoforms fizzled out.

Mart flipped on a few more switches before pulling the lever half-way and pressed the button causing a ball of light to form in the mouth of the rail gun. It was slightly smaller than before as it was half power but even then, Trihorn knew it could still be devastating. The whole _X-factor_ vibrated when the rail guns fired streams of lasers which slowly parted into smaller and smaller lasers that soon turned into an electric net of sorts. Trihorn saw Hux's jaw drop in surprise once again from the feat of display and he smiled as the lasers made contact with the vessels. The light display in the Mon Calamari vessels could clearly be seen before it started drifting slowly.

"Power is taken out, sir." Vix said.

"The others are going in, we can hang back." Trihorn replied with a proud look on his face while the _Finalizer_ and the other ISD's flew forward for boarding. "If only we were on the _Finalizer_. Oh well, we better head back to our ladies before they wake up."

"Did you really wake us up just for that?" Hux tilted his head slightly at Trihorn who chuckled.

"Mart, take over please. I'm also promoting all of you one rank up."

"Yes, sir. Thank you." Lieutenant Mart spoke on behalf of his fellow officers while Trihorn, Hux and Ren entered the turbolift which promptly closed and they started heading down.

"I woke you up so that you two along with Lynx and Mia can go to the _Finalizer_ to interrogate our prisoner." Trihorn said.

"About what? I doubt Ackbar is going to say anything." Hux let out a huff.

"Really, what about the Resistance base? We still don't know where that is specifically. We only know that it is in the Illenium system." Trihorn pointed out and Hux was about to retort but then he clamped his mouth shut.

The turbolift arrived at Trihorn's level so he stepped out but not before giving a warning, "Even though you guys are connected, I would still be careful waking them up. I do not want to see either one of you in a bacta tank."

##

Hux thought about the warning that Trihorn gave. He glanced at Ren who seemed perfectly calm but he was slightly nervous. Trihorn doesn't give warnings without a reason and in this case, he had to be prepared with what's coming.

"General, there is no need to be nervous." Ren said although Hux could hear the smug tone in his voice.

"Right, I don't even know what's going to happen, whether my nose is going to break or not."

"If it's any consolation, Mia hit my nose with a brick on the _Finalizer_ when I woke her up." Ren shrugged nonchalantly while Hux looked at him weirdly.

"I suppose you deserved that?"

"I did. She was dreaming of something so peaceful, I disturbed that dream." Ren said and Hux let out a sigh as the turbolift opened to his level. "I would say good luck but you don't need it."

"I don't believe in luck." Hux scoffed, walking out of the turbolift with confident strides that soon faltered as he neared Lynx's office.

He wasn't that worried. Lynx couldn't harm him even if she tried. They were to protect each other now that they've... Connected.

 _Hm, that's weird to think about._ Hux released a shaky breath before entering the office and then the hidden doorway that was now open. He entered the room, hoping to find Lynx awake but she was still asleep so he thought of a way to wake her up gently. He decided to slide back into the bed, being careful with the covers. His gloved hand trailed her form which caused her to shiver at the touch. He knew she was awake now as he could feel emotions through the touch.

"Morning, Lynx." He whispered in her ear and Lynx stirred.

"I'm freezing." She said while pushing her back closer to Hux's chest and he shared his coat with her.

"It's time to get up. We have to head to the _Finalizer._ " Hux said.

"On who's accord?" Lynx asked, yawning slightly.

"Your brother's." Hux replied which caused Lynx to huff.

"If it was yours, I would have gladly stayed here." Lynx smirked while Hux rolled his eyes and left the room.

He entered her office and decided to look at the pictures on display to pass the time. He began studying them and was quite surprised to find one of the pictures where she stood beside his father, Brendol Hux. He shouldn't be surprised actually considering his father had told him stories of the trio but in this picture, his father looked different. He couldn't put a finger on it though so he moved on. The next picture showed her standing in between two other men. One of them he recognized as Firmus Piett, the man who was promoted to Admiral by Lord Vader himself.

"I'm ready." Lynx spoke up and Hux turned to look at her.

She had worn back her Mandalorian armor which made her look menacing and he smiled at that thought. No one would want to take her away from him because of how she looked. She was a figure that you did not want to mess with… Except that abomination. He quickly pulled himself out of that rabbit hole and looked back at Lynx who wore her helmet and grabbed her blaster from the display. Hux held out his hand which Lynx grabbed and the two started walking out of the room.

##

Ren was calm because he had already contacted Mia using the force beforehand. It was the safest way compared to meeting with her face to face and having to get his butt kicked by the smaller adult. He let out a chuckle at the thought of Hux getting his nose broken by Lynx. However, he pushed that thought aside as he arrived at Mia's office. He entered and saw Mia already dressed up, just tying her robe and her long violet hair before turning on her heel to face him.

"That was fast." Ren commented in slight disbelief.

"Well, I am the fastest among my siblings." Mia shrugged. "Received first place and the best time ever in the academy when we did a parkour test. I don't even know why that was there."

Ren only nodded before grabbing her hand and started leading her to the hangar where Hux and Lynx were already waiting. The stormtrooper corps which Lynx decided to name Black Hearts – considering that was what they were going to be -, also entered the shuttle which surprisingly fit everyone. The shuttle took off and headed back to the _Finalizer_ that was currently docked with the disabled Mon Calamari cruiser. Hux rolled his shoulders before looking at Lynx and Mia.

"The both of you will be cleaning out any leftovers on the cruiser. Ren and I will interrogate Ackbar." Hux said.

"Why don't Mia interrogate him instead? Clearly she is stronger at mind probing than me." Ren suggested.

"Ackbar doesn't know that we have a much more powerful force user on board which is why she will be running through his memories while you break down his wall by physically being there. Lynx can protect her if need be. We also need to make that everyone on board is captured." Hux explained and Ren reluctantly nodded before looking at Mia who gave two thumbs up.

"I'll be fine Ren. We also have the mental link." She said, tapping her temple to prove her point.

"Very well." Ren said acquiescence.

When the shuttle landed, the Black Hearts were the first to leave before the others. Hux and Ren were greeted back by Mitaka while Lynx and Mia took a different route with the special squad to enter the cruiser. Ren looked at Mia before following Hux and Mitaka to the prison cells where a depressed Mon Calamari currently resided. Ren entered the room and pulled in the dark side of the force for the interrogation.

 _Remember Ren, use the balance of the force._ Mia suddenly spoke up and Ren found himself frowning behind the mask.

He stopped and let out a sigh before closing his eyes to focus. He reopened them when he felt the pull of the light and on instinct, pulled himself out of it but then he stopped. Mia had shown him how powerful he could become when he allowed the dark side and light side to work together. So, instead of closing himself from the light, he forced himself to open up and felt a sense of energy course through his veins. He felt new but at the same time, he felt like he hadn't changed.

 _Don't waste time. Start mind probing him._ Mia said and Ren did so, putting his right hand up to start attacking the shield.

He could see the Admiral's memories flashing by but he wasn't the one looking through them. He knew Mia was at work and he was just holding down the walls, allowing her to view all of the Admiral's memories. He could feel Ackbar's consciousness slowly slipping and that caused him to break out of the probe but luckily, Mia had finished her work.

 _The Resistance base is in D'Qar… I'll keep that in mind._ Mia said before Ren left the room, leaving an unconscious Mon Calamari behind.

"D'Qar is our answer." Ren told Hux who nodded.

"We will deal with them once we settle the shipyard facility."


	15. Chapter 14

A.N. So, Papasmurf555 suggested that I explain somethings about the chain of command and I will.

Trihorn is known as an Admiral while on board any First Order ships such as the _Finalizer_ and he will be known as Grand Admiral on board the _X-factor_ because it was the only ship he controlled during the Empire days. The vessel did also come from the Empire era. Currently, he controls his own vessel as well as the current First Order fleet which consists of the _Finalizer_ and two worn down ISDs which I won't give names to. He basically takes over Hux's place on the bridge but still allows Hux some control when he has to do something else. Later, when they regroup with the rest of the First Order vessels, he will be in control of the whole fleet - I won't tell you what it consists of just yet.

I am still unsure what rank to give Lynx but I am leaning towards assistant General due to the fact that Hux is already a General. They also have the relationship which would make sense, to me at least. Their task is shared so they have the same amount of Stormtroopers at their disposal. However, once they join the rest of the fleet, Lynx will take half of the troopers while Hux will take the other half. The numbers is not confirmed yet but it will be told when that chapter comes.

Mia will have some control over the other Knights of Ren and a platoon of stormtroopers which would be the Black Hearts. She prefers to work alone though which is why she has limited control.

* * *

"Troopers, set blaster to stun. We are to capture only." Lynx ordered and the troopers saluted before they took the lead. "Mia, how's it going?"

"Very well." Mia smiled, her eyes distant but physically, she was there.

The duo then followed the stormtroopers in hunting down any resistance fighters left in the vessel. Lynx took the lead when they walked down a narrow hallway. One of the troopers had insisted that she stay behind but she left no more room for quarrel when she placed her blaster under his chin.

"She doesn't like being the follower." Mia told them before following her sister and then the troopers did so.

The first encounter was when Lynx was still in the lead. She stopped moving and raised her head up and if she had ears, they would be perked up as well because she looked like a cat who heard something. She immediately turned the corner and fired the circular blue ring that sent the rebel who had been sneaking around down for the count. She let out a huff before going down the next hall while Mia ordered two of the troopers to drag the insurgent out of there. Mia was now more focused as she had finished the interrogation.

"Mia, enter the vents." Lynx whispered and the smaller adult did so before Lynx turned to the troopers. "Follow my lead and fire at my command."

"Yes, sir." The lead trooper nodded and Lynx cocked her weapon before opening the canteen doors.

She entered, acting carefree although she knew that there were rebels hiding behind the tables. She could see them with her echolocation but she decided not to show that and instead played dumb. When she reached the middle of the room, that was when the rebels sprang into action, aiming their rifles at them and Lynx immediately put her hand up. The other troopers did the same although they were more curious as to where this was going.

"Drop your weapons!" The Lieutenant of the little group ordered and Lynx motioned for the troopers to slowly put their weapon down.

However, before any of their blaster even touched the ground, Mia fell from the vents and landed on the Lieutenant, knocking him unconscious. Lynx then fired a stun shot at one of the rebels causing the troopers to fire at their own targets. One of the rebels managed to shoot at Lynx but his blaster did absolutely no damage to her back. He was promptly shot down by Mia who had her tiny blaster in her hands.

"Couldn't let you get all the fun." Mia shrugged before looking at the rebels. "Is this all of them?"

"Let me check." Lynx stomped the ground while scanning around the room but in actuality, she could see the whole ship vibrate slightly allowing her to see further than the one room they were in. "That is all."

"Alright, troopers, carry each of them. Our job here is done." Mia said and the remaining Black Hearts started carrying the unconscious Resistance fighters back to the _Finalizer._

##

Trihorn entered his office with a yawn before he quickly shook his head and approached the bed. Phasma was still sound asleep and he wondered if he should wake her up. In the end, he decided that he should so that he wouldn't have to explain everything to her. There was still a lot of work to do and so little time left.

"Phasma, wake up." He shook her gently and Phasma stirred easily from her sleep.

 _The training must be paying off._ Trihorn thought before seeing those bright blue eyes open up in the darkness.

"Were we under attack?" She asked and Trihorn let out a fake cough.

"Yep."

"And you didn't wake me?" Her voice was slightly raised which caused Trihorn to take a step back.

"Nope." He replied with a small smirk. "This was a space battle, not a ground battle so your expertise was not required."

After a long pause, she let out a sigh because she knew he was right in his reasoning. "Alright but I expect you to wake me up even if it is a space battle."

"Promise." Trihorn nodded and went to his desk to pick up a holopad while Phasma went to put on some clothes.

After a while, Phasma asked a question which nearly caused the man to drop the holopad, "Trihorn, why is one of our enemy trying to contact you?"

"What?" He turned his head towards her and saw a holopad in her hands. He knew that holopad contained a log of all of his contacts as well as recent calls which made him wonder why was it there in the first place.

"For the past three hours, he's been ringing your communicator but you have not answered him. Have you been feeding him information?" Phasma crossed her arms over her chest and Trihorn raised both his hands to show his innocence.

"I have not been feeding him information."

"Then?" She prompted forcefully and Trihorn licked his lips as he knew this was a tactic to force answers out of the accused without giving them time to think.

"Let me explain. Lando is an old friend of mine. He is like my blood brother except we don't share the same blood. We have always stayed in contact with each other even while I was in the Empire because that is what brothers do. He knows my devotion to the Empire ever since… The Incident." At that, Phasma raised an eyebrow.

"The incident?"

"I don't want to talk about that." He snapped which surprised her. "Sorry, that topic gets me all snappy but otherwise, Lando and I have different opinions but we love to smuggle. It's what kept us together."

"I see…" Phasma nodded before looking at the photo framed above the bed. "Han Solo was involved in this?"

"A few runs. When we first met, Lando decided to gamble the _Millenium Falcon,_ much to my dismay. After that, we went for a few runs and then Han decided to go solo – get it." Trihorn winked at Phasma before his communicator beeped causing him to leap.

 _"~Sir.~"_ Mart's voice came through.

"You mind giving me a warning?" Trihorn huffed, his face looking irritated.

 _"~Sorry, sir but we have arrived at the first checkpoint.~"_

"That fast?" Trihorn looked at the holopad before realizing that nothing in his room could tell the time. "Remind me to install a clock in my quarters but otherwise, I'm on the way to the bridge."

 _"~We were already here in the first place, sir. The Resistance just delayed us.~"_ Mart said and Trihorn let out a hum.

"I see. Well, carry on Lieutenant and also stop the formalities."

 _"~Yes, sir- I mean Trihorn.~"_ Mart replied, coughing towards the end before he ended the link.

"Idiot." Trihorn muttered before looking back at Phasma who was now in her chrome storm trooper armor. "Phasma, come on. You need to be present on the bridge."

"Why?" She asked but followed him nonetheless.

"So that I may introduce my lady to Eli." He replied with a smirk before taking out his comm. "Sister, are you done?"

 _"~A long time ago bro. We're waiting on the bridge.~"_ Lynx's voice came through and Trihorn looked at Phasma with one raised eyebrow.

"Did we just move forward in time or are we just hallucinating?"

"You didn't have a clock in your quarters, remember? You must have lost track of time when trying to wake me." She replied and Trihorn scratched his head.

"Huh, that's odd. Whatever the case, I have to remember to edit the speech… And the clock although priority one is the speech." He mumbled before putting on his Grand Admiral personality when he entered the bridge.

Phasma followed beside him and the two stopped at the end of the walkway, staring out the viewport to see the Chiss's vessels creating a blockade around a small planet. Trihorn knew that the planet was actually a station but they made it to be like a trap base. It lures smugglers into the base where they would get trapped and captured by the Chiss.

 _Ingenuity win._ Trihorn smiled before he nodded towards Hoppins who sent the entry code to the base.

One minute later, a voice crackled through the comms, "You may enter but be warned, we will be watching you."

"Noted." Trihorn said, holding back a remark. His smuggler side pouted but he managed to hold it down while the _X-factor_ jumped into hyperspace with the fleet following suit.

"Isn't it too early for us to be here?" Phasma questioned and Trihorn let out a chuckle.

"It isn't." He replied while taking out the speech. "We'll be there in ten minutes which is why I have to focus in completing this."

~~10 minutes later~~

"We've arrived, sir." Jomes said while the whole fleet exited hyperspace to arrive at a large white colored planet.

"Eli should be contacting us any minute now." Trihorn replied, folding back the paper and keeping it in his pocket just as Eli's holoform appeared.

 _"~I thought you said two weeks.~"_

"I miscalculated and we didn't run into any nebulas so don't blame me." Trihorn retorted before looking at the holoforms of Hux, Lynx, Ren and Mia. "Eli, you should know my siblings but the one in the mask is Kylo Ren and the other is General Hux. The stormtrooper beside me is Captain Phasma and they will be representing the First Order."

 _"~Greetings to all of you. I am Admiral Eli Vanto, protégé of Grand Admiral Thrawn. I will be your liaison for this meeting.~"_ Eli bowed slightly before standing back up. _"~Your fleet may stay in orbit along with your stormtroopers. A show of power is not necessary here.~"_

 _"~I would have thought that the Chiss would want to ally with us and for that, they would need to see our power.~"_ Hux said and Trihorn sent him a disapproving look.

 _"~The Chiss already knows of your power. Word spreads fast throughout the galaxy, General.~"_ Eli said, a bit of amusement in his eyes.

 _"~I wasn't at fault.~"_ Hux let out a huff and Trihorn felt like face palming.

"Eli, let us move on." Trihorn said before the little discussion went off track.

 _"~Very well, the Leaders are currently preparing for the meeting, therefore you will be treated to beverages first.~"_

"I will see you in five minutes." Trihorn nodded before Eli's holoform disappeared and he turned to the others. "Hux, you'd best watch what you say around them."

 _"~Why should I?~"_

"Because we are outnumbered and the Chiss knows of our current predicament." Trihorn hissed before glancing at Phasma. "Meet us in the _Finalizer's_ hangar in two minutes."

Trihorn didn't even wait for their holoforms to disappear before he started walking down the walkway. He glanced at Mart who saluted as a silent command was given. Trihorn knew Mart could take over his work, it was the only reason why he trusted him. He also glanced at Isla but the female crewman had her back turned towards him. Still, he didn't let his gaze linger and quickly focused at the task at hand.

"How long have you met him?" Phasma questioned and Trihorn felt his mind switch into his smuggler personality.

"As long as I can remember. I met him when he first entered Officer's school. He was my best friend and Lynx's. I was quite saddened when Thrawn sent him off to help the Chiss but I didn't protest. The man was capable of such a task." He said while they walked towards the hangar.

"I see. Thrawn plays a major roll in your life, doesn't he?" Phasma queried and Trihorn let out a smile.

"In the Empire, he affected everyone's life. He was the first non-human to reach the rank of Grand Admiral. I must say that I was jealous but I didn't let it consume me. Instead, I managed to befriend him before he left for Lothal and I'm quite certain, he helped me reach Grand Admiral. I don't really know though, I think it might just be a hunch." He shrugged before entering his shuttle.

##

"Let's go through this again. Sound calm and reasonable even if they give an answer not to your liking. Come on Hux, you're the General here!" Lynx groaned when Hux looked away.

"It's difficult when I have this nagging feeling to keep holding your hand! I can't do this Lynx." He growled.

"Fine, hold my hand for all I care." Lynx grabbed Hux's hand and he gladly tightened his grip slightly on hers.

"Sis, that's a show of weakness." Mia was worried, not only for Lynx and Hux but also for Ren who could blow at any given moment during the meeting.

"As long as we get through this, I don't care." Lynx hissed, just as Trihorn landed his shuttle in the hangar.

"Let's go." Ren walked forward followed by the others and they entered the shuttle before taking their seats.

Trihorn was the pilot with Phasma in the co-pilot seat but she didn't know what to do. She only followed Trihorn's instructions and soon, the six of them had landed on Csilla. Once the shuttle powered down, Trihorn got up and passed the speech to Hux before fixing his uniform and walked down the shuttle with a certain humble yet powerful stride. A smile formed on his lips though when he saw Eli with his gray hair, standing at attention to greet them.

"Eli." Trihorn greeted and held his hand out which Eli grabbed before Trihorn patted Eli's upper arm. "You're looking young."

"Very funny, Trihorn." Eli huffed while Trihorn let out a smirk before he took a step back.

"Greetings Eli." Lynx nodded towards the older man who smiled at her and Mia.

"Well, the both of you surely look gorgeous as ever." Eli commented and that sent jealousy through Hux but it was squashed down by Lynx who glanced at him behind her helmet. "General Hux, Master Ren, a pleasure to meet the both of you."

"We should probably head towards the guest room first." Hux said as he was unnerved by the other Chiss in the vicinity, some who had stopped to look at them.

"Apologies, this way." Eli started leading them down the hall and into a room which was really large.

It had a sofa, coffee table, a kitchen, a dining table and five separate doors - three leading to the rooms while two led to the bathrooms. It was like an apartment except it was compact but still, it seemed very comfortable.

"Hux, read the speech while the rest of us catch up with Eli." Trihorn ordered and reluctantly, the General entered one of the separate rooms with Lynx to practice.

"So, you're in love with her while Mia is in love with Master Ren." Eli said and Trihorn nodded, holding Phasma's free hand in his.

"Yes, we've gone through quite a journey together." Trihorn smiled, recalling the events of the past few months.

"Hey Eli," Mia spoke up and her head was tilted to the left slightly, "Why is everyone currently feeling mixed on Csilla?"

"It's because of you guys. The Cabinet is currently divided in two. The decision has been hard with House Inrokini and House Nuruodo rooting for you, giving up solid points as to why making you an ally is better than an enemy." Eli explained and Trihorn kept glancing at the room Lynx and Hux had gone to. "The General will definitely not be pleased."

"Exactly the problem. We already have to deal with one fuse, I don't want to deal with another but Lynx should be able to quell his anger unless she is unable to suppress her own." Trihorn said and at the term 'fuse', Ren had clenched his fist.

"When will you ever see me as something else other than a fuse?" Ren questioned and Trihorn looked at him with a shrug.

"Until I see you controlling your anger." He replied before there was a knock on the door followed by a voice in Cheunh and Eli answered back in the same language.

"It's time." Eli said to them in basic. "The Cabinet is ready."

"I'm not sure Hux is." Trihorn gritted his teeth while standing up and knocked on the door. "They're calling for us."

"In a minute." Came the tense reply so Trihorn looked at the others worriedly.

"We're not going to win." Ren deadpanned but Mia still had hope.

"Stop being cynical. We're getting through this." She retorted.

"Politics has never been any of our strong suits." Eli pointed out and Mia let out a sigh.

"Eli, I wrote the speech. I have some political advantage but I chose to be a spy instead." She said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"How does that work?" Eli tilted his head slightly while Mia shrugged.

"Who knows?"

##

"Hux, we have to go." Lynx urged but the redhead was still trying to memorize the speech.

Another knock, "Guys, we better not keep them waiting."

"Hux, come on." Lynx placed a hand on his shoulder and it caused his tense shoulders to relax before he kept the paper in his pockets.

She could feel him being detached but that was expected from someone who had so much stress on his shoulders. She only wished she could do more work than just being there to give him support. Hell, she was made for physical battles, not with words. The walk to the conference hall was silent as no one wanted to disturb Hux from his concentration. When they were just outside of the hall, they could hear loud chatter and arguments from the different parties but as they entered, all conversations ceased. Hux, Eli and Lynx walked towards the middle of the room while the others stayed near the entrance as this was something they could not assist with.

"Any second doubts, General?" Lynx whispered while Eli conversed with the leaders in Cheunh.

Hux didn't answer her as he was still running through the speech in his mind. Lynx decided not to make anymore comments and sent more calming feelings through the contact. She wanted to glance back at Trihorn but decided not to and just stared at the wall in front of her. The Leaders were all elevated so staring ahead wouldn't be considered as a threat to them.

"General, you may speak." Eli said and Hux released a nervous breath.

 _You've got this._ Lynx thought as he glanced at him. _You're the General of the First Order. Nothing can stop you, not even the Chiss._

"Leaders of the Chiss Colonies." Hux started, swallowing a lump in his throat while his face remained impassive as ever and Eli translated his words to Cheunh. "You have heard of us, The First Order." Slight murmurs before silence resumed. "We are here to ask for permission in using one of your shipyards to increase our fleet." Lynx felt a bit of uneasiness rising in Hux so she quickly squashed it down before it took over the General.

One of the leaders spoke to Eli who translated it, "How would they know that you would not turn against them?"

Hux stayed quiet for a minute as he thought of a _good_ answer, "We have suffered a considerable amount of damage during our battle with the Resistance. Therefore, we would be of no danger to you and will not be of danger as long as you do not pose a threat to us."

Another leader spoke up, "What of resources?"

"As far as we know, the shipyard that we are planning to use has the resource needed. Other resources will be from our own stash and we will not ask to use your resources unless you are willing to assist us." Hux replied calmly and Lynx felt the tense air increase.

"Will you share your research with us?"

Lynx saw a flicker of mistrust in Hux's eyes before it turned passive, "Yes."

 _Doubt._ She could also see it in those red eyes of the Chiss leaders.

A heated discussion started rising between the leaders and the six of them – seven plus Eli - stood there rather awkwardly while waiting for it to pass. About six hours later, Eli started putting in his own thoughts in Cheunh and the leaders quietened down slightly. It didn't cease the argument but it sure did help a little. Finally, silence fell over the hall before the leader that had asked the first question, spoke and Eli was forced to translate it.

"The decision has been made. They have declined your request."

"Why?" Lynx found herself asking and she could feel everyone's gaze on her.

Eli asked it to the Cabinet before receiving a reply and translated, "You're not willing to share research and there is nothing that you can give back."

"Nothing?" Lynx hissed and Hux was about to let go of her when she tightened her grip on him.

"Lynx, be reasonable." Trihorn shouted from his position and Lynx didn't even bother turning back to him.

Instead she looked at Hux who was slowly receiving anger through the contact and she wanted to make him snap. Hux tried to hold it back by thinking of calming thoughts to bat away the incoming emotions but then, he heard a snap in his mind. It was like the sound of metal being broken into two and he understood what Lynx was trying to tell him. The Chiss and the First Order had something in common, so he looked up at the Cabinet in defiance.

"Eli, translate everything I say, exactly as I say it." Hux told the older man who reluctantly nodded.

Lynx let go of Hux while he took two step forwards. In her echolocation, everything was still black and blue but now, there was a white light… That light was Hux and she gave a smile behind her mask.

"We have a common enemy." Hux said with his tone being so icy, the Chiss around him narrowed their eyes. "The First Order is not your enemy, nor are you to us. The both of us have a small force but the New Republic, the Resistance… They can wipe us out if they choose to do so. Their power in the galaxy is stronger than ours. If we are to destroy them, we have to join forces."

Hux paused as he allowed Eli to finish translating the first part and for him to catch his breath. "We are not asking for a complete merger of the two parties. We are only asking for you to be our allies in this time of need. If you wish to stay neutral, that is your choice and we will not bring the fight to you but all we ask for is a shipyard. If you want some of our research, you may proceed but know that if you do,"

Hux closed his eyes before reopening it, a set of fire settling behind them. "Then we owe you nothing."

* * *

A.N. I'm so not good at politics but I was forced to write it down for this chapter. If it's shit, blame my hatred and interest in politics. I also know that politics take a while to actually make the final decision but let's just say that I don't want to linger on the topic for a long time.


	16. Chapter 15

Trihorn was impressed. Not only did the General manage to not lose control of himself, he managed to convince the Chiss Cabinet and the Ruling Families that the First Order was worth it. Hux also managed to convince them not to look into the research that they currently have. He wondered if it was because they were working on something special but he never was privy to the details. After that whole political ordeal, they decided to return back to the guest room and sleep there instead of heading back to the _X-factor_ as Csilla was currently way below freezing level. It was nearly impossible to fly out to space at the current temperature.

"Staring at darkness, Phasma?" Trihorn asked while entering the viewing room where a chrome trooper currently stood.

It was situated near the top of the building so that during a sunny day, they can view the other Chiss doing their work. Since it was night time and there was a blizzard blowing through, the only thing you could possibly see is white and the reflection of yourself. However, Trihorn knew Phasma didn't come up here to stare at the snow. She came up here to think because the room was relatively quiet compared to the lower levels where most people were. Other than the blizzard outside, it was pretty serene.

"No, I'm not." Phasma replied, watching Trihorn using the reflection of the glass.

She had taken off her helmet and placed it on the table nearby along with her blaster. Trihorn did the same, taking out his blaster and placed it on the table as he had no need for it here. He also made sure that the safety lock was on because that would be an embarrassment if it wasn't. All he wanted to do right now was just casual talking.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked, looking at her before looking to the outside world.

"Your smuggling issues." Phasma deadpanned and Trihorn rolled his eyes.

"That is no issue, Phasma."

"It is when you plan to do so with our enemy." She retorted and looked at him in the reflection.

"Okay for one, I've done it with him even when I was in the Empire." Trihorn snorted before his look softened. "Besides, I am usually very careful around him. I've done this before Phasma, I can do it again."

Phasma narrowed her eyes before she let out a sigh, "Why are you always, right?"

"Because I'm never wrong." He smirked. "I'm a very logical thinker."

"I'm surprised you're not in politics." She said and he laughed heartily at the sentence.

"If I were Phasma, I would have long since suicided. Politics is boring as… Uh. I don't know what else is boring." Trihorn rubbed the back of his head before shrugging.

"When are you leaving?" She asked.

"In a week's time. Once everyone is settled here and Hux doesn't need me for anything else." Trihorn replied.

"Who's taking care of the _X-factor_?"

"Mart, he's my second-in-command from now on."

"Then, when will you return?" Phasma queried softly and Trihorn let out a sigh.

"If I'm lucky, the week after. If not, an extra week." He answered solemnly. "Most of my missions don't take long."

"I'll keep your word for it." She said and he smiled before holding her hand in his.

"I suppose I should teach you about me. Lesson number one, I'm never wrong." He put his forehead on hers causing her to smile but there was a sparkle of mischief in her blue eyes.

"Then, what was that about reaching Csilla in two weeks?" She said knowingly with one raised an eyebrow and he rolled his eyes.

"I thought we were going to run into nebulas but apparently we didn't. Therefore, I might have placed my expectations and theirs a little too far." He replied before hearing his communicator beep. "What now?"

 _"~Bro, meeting.~"_ Lynx said.

"You're joking." Trihorn huffed but walked towards the table to grab his items, Phasma following suit and putting on her helmet.

 _"~We need to figure out what to do after putting the shipyard to work.~"_ Lynx retorted.

"I have plans of my own, sister."

 _"~It better not be smuggling again.~"_ Lynx scowled and Trihorn gave a smirk.

"You know me too well."

 _"~First, get your ugly butt in the guest room.~"_

"Don't have to be so rude." Trihorn rolled his eyes before ending the link. "Rude."

##

"Trihorn's going smuggling again." Lynx said while taking a seat on the sofa, beside Mia as Ren and Hux were in a separate room, discussing something else.

"Again? You've gotta be kidding me." Mia groaned, wiping her face before looking at the door that the boys had gone two. "Will he ever stop?"

"It's a habit." Trihorn spoke up from the door, scaring Lynx and Mia as they had not seen him coming. "One that I don't plan to stop."

"Kriff, I might as well go back bounty hunting if that's the case." Lynx snarled before crossing her arms over her chest as Trihorn chuckled.

"I know you miss bounty hunting but your job is harder than mine." Trihorn pointed out before allowing Phasma to take a seat on the sofa.

He then went to knock on the room Ren and Hux went to before taking his own seat. Hux stepped out of the room first followed by Ren who had the communicator and they could see the hologram of Snoke. Lynx knew that they had discussed something out of her view but it was a shame that she couldn't read minds. For that, she glanced at Mia who didn't even need a second prompt before she was already delving into their minds. Hux tensed as he had felt it which caused Ren to glance at the General and strengthened his mental barrier. Mia frowned on the inside but she stayed ever so lively on the outside.

"Mia." Snoke caught the shortest member of the group who stopped trying to pry into Hux's mind and looked at him. "There are some secrets, you do not want to know."

"Very well." Mia lowered her head slightly but Lynx, Trihorn and Ren knew that she was not finished.

"Mia, go serious here." Trihorn scolded which was enough to have the violet haired girl to grumble.

 _We will do it later._ Lynx said in her mind and she knew Mia heard her thoughts as their minds were always connected.

"So, what's crackin'?" Trihorn asked when the silence started to gnaw on his nerves.

"As soon as we are established on Csilla, you will bring the fleet to my position. Then, we will finally meet face-to-face." Snoke said and everyone nodded in agreement.

"One problem." Trihorn spoke up as he glanced at everyone in the room as well, "I have an affair that I have to tend to."

"An affair?" Snoke frowned before adding, "How long will it last?"

"A week at most. I will help settle the situation here but afterwards, I have to leave." Trihorn said, glancing at Lynx as he ended the sentence.

She caught the message, _Hopefully I'll bring back presents._

Trihorn's smuggling journeys always proved useful even though they were illegal. Still, it was something that he liked to do so they tolerated it and always told him to bring something back to compensate for his disappearance. The item Trihorn brings back is always profitable as the man had a mental note of what the _X-factor_ or its crew needed at the moment. In this case, he knew they needed something to take the relationship a step further.

"You will be given a week, Admiral. Any later and you will be left behind." Snoke acquiesced and Trihorn bowed slightly before the hologram sizzled out.

"When were you going to tell us about that?" Hux questioned, making sure to keep eye contact on Mia who was acting too calm and quiet.

"I was going to say it during the day itself but then that happened and I was like, _'why not?'_ " Trihorn shrugged nonchalantly before yawning. "Come on, we've got a whole day tomorrow and I prefer not to fall asleep on the job."

Phasma wanted to protest but Trihorn grabbed her hand and pulled her into the first room to the left. A tense atmosphere settled in the room as Mia narrowed her eyes at the two men. She was still unable to pierce the mental barrier around Hux which was starting to annoy her. Lynx didn't bother say anything and she stood up during the mental conflict as boredom and fatigue settled in her soul.

"Mia, end it." Lynx looked her sister who pouted and turned away, silently wishing that she hadn't shown Ren the power of balance. "Come on, Hux. We have a lot of work tomorrow."

The two entered the room in the middle leaving Ren and Mia alone in the common room. Ren was displeased while Mia was annoyed which caused a storm to settle over Ren while wind blew around Mia, protecting her from said storm. Ren narrowed his eyes at her before turning around and entered the room, not bothering to invite the girl who growled. Mia hated being left in the dark and she was being left out on something.

Lynx would be irritated by it but she would move on. However, Mia wanted to know everything and this time, she would have to bide her time… If there was any. Unlike the Empire, the First Order's plans were instantaneous so time was not by her side. She would have to be forceful or maybe, Lynx would help her reach her goal.

"Forget it, she won't help you." Ren cut through her thoughts, standing at the door frame with his arms crossed and he had taken his helmet off causing Mia to let out a huff.

"You know you can't hide it forever." She hissed and Ren nodded, his eyes soft.

"We know… I just have to keep you distracted." Ren replied and Mia jerked back slightly before she looked away.

"I have to know, Ren." She muttered.

"And you will. For now, forget about it. We have training tomorrow." He said and went to grab her hand.

Mia blinked rapidly as she processed his words, "We're training… In the snow?"

"Yes." He smiled slightly when she gave a frown. "You need to learn to strike in the cold."

"Yay, I suppose." She sighed and followed him to the dimly lit room. "I'll be freezing my toes off."

~~The next day~~

Phasma woke up with a start as she heard the door open only to find out that it was Trihorn. The man was half naked, allowing her to see his tanned skin and fine muscles but the Admiral was lean and slightly skinny which didn't give him a buff build like most people or even the Chiss around them. She also saw that he had a small brand on his back, just below his shoulders and it looked like a Phoenix but she couldn't tell properly in the dark.

She wondered why she hadn't seen it during the six days on board the _X-factor_ but pushed that thought aside when he put on his shirt. She slowly sat up as the clock showed that it was near dawn although the atmosphere was still very cold.

"Oh, you're awake." Trihorn muttered before motioning at the door. "Hux is the only other person up and running. Lynx, Mia and Ren will wake up later."

"Any reason why?" Phasma asked, thankful that she had removed her armor the previous night before going to sleep.

"Other than them being peckish, they have no task for the moment. We have to head to the shipyard. The journey will not be pleasant and the vehicle chosen can only carry four people." He explained while combing his hair and Phasma nodded before walking out of the room to see Hux leaving the showers, a towel wrapped around his neck as he tried to dry his fiery red hair that stood out in the darkness.

"Good morning Captain." He greeted and Phasma nodded before entering the showers.

There were three towels still hanging dry so Phasma concluded that the boys shared one shower room while the girls shared the other. She decided not to take her time as her two superiors were already waiting so after a quick shower and shampoo, she put her clothes back on before leaving the showers to see Hux and Trihorn on the sofa, the former in deep thought while the latter had his eyes closed. She entered her room and in one swift motion, put on her armor. After doing quick checks like she did every time, she left the room feeling fresh.

"Are we ready?" Phasma asked and Hux looked up at her while Trihorn let out a yawn.

"Yes, Eli should be waiting for us." Trihorn stood up and they started walking out the door.

"What will we be doing?" Hux questioned and Trihorn glanced at him from the corner of his eyes.

"We will be scouting it out first, see which equipment needs to be replaced and which ones need to be added. Then, we can put in some resources we have on our vessels. Afterwards, we will commission some of our engineers to start working in the cold condition." Trihorn explained and Hux nodded in thought.

"Are we leaving some troopers here to guard it?" Phasma queried and Trihorn shook his head.

"The Chiss wouldn't allow any Resistance to stay here. They already have to deal with us so they will probably not want to add another onto their list. Thus, we wouldn't need to spare any troopers to guard it." He explained before they arrived at the hangar to see Eli starting up the vehicle.

"Morning." Eli greeted and Trihorn hopped in the back seat with Phasma while Hux took the passenger seat beside Eli. "Put on the coats, it's freezing out there."

Trihorn reached for the back to pull out two coats and gave one to Hux. They were slightly bigger than them but it allowed more air to get trapped and give more warmth. Eli glanced back before looking at Phasma in slight thought.

"Captain, you have to as well." He told her.

"This armor can withstand freezing temperatures." Phasma replied but Eli shook his head.

"Where we're going, you need to be out of the armor and in a uniform to not attract attention." Eli told her and Phasma looked at Trihorn who shrugged.

"Go get changed, we'll be waiting." He answered her unspoken question and Phasma did as told, returning to her quarters but she didn't have any uniforms.

So, she went inside Lynx's quarters to find the orange haired girl still sleeping very peacefully on the bed. She noticed the room still looked clean and even the bed looked like Hux never even slept on it. After looking around the room, she noticed the closet and decided to open it to see a few uniforms although she knew the right side held Hux's so the left was Lynx's. She took one of them out and turned around to find Lynx staring at her with her head tilted to the left.

"Don't forget to wash it." She yawned before going back to bed and Phasma nodded, returning to her own room to change.

Luckily, Lynx was just the same size as her so she was able to fit in nicely in the uniform although it was slightly tight. She felt exposed without her armor and despite wearing a cap, she knew she didn't belong in the uniform. Looking at herself in the mirror, she looked stunning but didn't feel like it.

 _Just for today._ She told herself. _Afterwards, I can return to my armor._

She wondered how Lynx felt, changing from her Mandalorian armor to stormtrooper armor and then a uniform. If anything, Phasma knew Lynx would have felt the same but she wouldn't be in a uniform if she couldn't handle herself. Phasma decided to stop lollygagging and left the room to return to the hangar, finding them still waiting for her. Trihorn was the first to notice her and even though his expression didn't change, she knew that he was surprised by her look. She grabbed the coat from the back and put it on, enjoying the warmth that it gave while Eli started the vehicle.

"The journey there will take about two hours so buckle up and keep yourself warm." Eli said and Phasma did as told, pulling up the hood to cover her head.

The journey was indeed bumpy and rough. Phasma had to hold onto the railing for her not to fall off to her doom. Well, it wasn't actually her doom. The snow was thick, probably waist high if she sunk in it but the vehicle they were using were like speeders mixed with a jeep. She looked at Trihorn who was currently laid back with a white cap – she presumed he always had it but never wore it – over his face as he was probably sleeping.

Then, she looked at Hux who had his arms crossed over his chest and he looked annoyed with the constant bumps due to the hilly terrain. When she looked at Eli, the older man was calm and alert while staying focused on driving. The blizzard was still going on around them and a cold breeze caused her to shiver, pulling the coat closer to warm herself.

"Hey Eli!" Trihorn shouted over the wind. "How are the Chiss treating you?!"

"Fine! Just fine!" Eli replied, glancing at Trihorn before looking back ahead. "It's a funny story actually how I earned their trust!"

"Would love to hear it later!" Trihorn chuckled, putting the cap back over his face while using his left hand to pull Phasma closer to him.

Phasma wanted to move away but it actually proved to be warmer this way. So, she snuggled herself closer to him while the journey continued on. She must have fallen asleep because when she woke up, they were just entering the shipyard which was quite dark. She moved away from Trihorn who took off his cap and placed it on his head. Once Eli stopped the vehicle and parked it, they got off while looking at the large building. As soon as the lights turned on, Phasma was in awe at how massive the place actually was. At first glance, one would think that it could fit only one Star Destroyer but this could definitely fit two Star Destroyers and several cruisers or fighters.

"The Doonium and Dolovite are at the back but otherwise, this is it. Other than the machinery that you will have to get working again." Eli gestured to the line of conveyors and machinery.

"You've out done yourself, Eli." Trihorn patted him on the back before looking at Hux. "So, what do we need?"

"A lot of materials need to be transferred…" Hux answered with a slight frown.

"Hey, more work for us. It will pay off better than you think." Trihorn winked then looked at Phasma. "What do you think?"

"If we make it compact, we could have a couple of vessels working in no time." She responded and Trihorn nodded with a smile.

"My thoughts exactly. I think we can handle it here, Eli. Stay with the snow speeder, will you? Also, it's a pleasure to meet you again." Trihorn shook the older man's hand, the smile still prominent on his face.

"Of course. Just stay away from smuggling, will you?" Eli said and Trihorn let out a chuckle.

"I'm still going, with or without your permission." He smirked before turning around and started exploring the shipyard with Hux and Phasma.

While leaving, Phasma heard Eli mutter, "Old habits die hard."

##

Ren woke up to find Mia missing and at first, he panicked but after reaching out to the force, he realized that she was bathing. So, he collapsed back onto the bed and planned to go back to sleep but felt that something was missing. He frowned when he noticed that he couldn't sense Hux's thoughts. He knew the General was usually up this early or much earlier than he ever could, so he reached out into the force to sense him. Everyone had a special aura in the Force. For Hux's case, it was a bright red colored flame that could be seen very clearly in the darkness of the force. He also saw Trihorn who was basically electrifying to look at while Phasma had a dim light, like a plasma.

"Ren, are we not going to train?" Mia's voice brought him back to see her walking into the room, fully dressed with her robe on.

"Yes, we are. Did they leave without us?" Ren asked.

"They did because the vehicle chosen can only carry four people."

"Lynx?"

"Left behind. She wants to train with us as well." Mia went to the dresser and took out a comb.

"I'm not sure about that." Ren said while walking towards the door. "We'll be training with lightsabers."

"Oh, she has one." At that, he stopped and looked at her questioningly. "As I've said before, her blaster is weird because it's made up of two weapons."

"You never explained it to me."

"I just did. You'll see it in action soon. For now, go bath. You smell like a hutt." Mia smirked and Ren rolled his eyes.

"I smell better than a hutt." Ren grumbled but went into the showers nonetheless.

By the time he left, Lynx and Mia were waiting on the sofa with a cup of coffee on each of their hands. He wondered why Hux left her alone but then he remembered that only four people could fit the vehicle. He let out a sigh at the thought of having to watch over Hux's lover of all things considered. If it was a child, maybe he would have cut himself some slack and let that child do whatever it desired. He grabbed his cup from the table and took gentle sips as it was still very hot.

"I would take this caf and drink it outside. It'll freeze in a second." Lynx suggested when Mia had trouble drinking her warm cup.

"Where's the fun in that? I'm going to be freezing outside." The smaller female retorted, taking another sip before standing up. "You know what, I'm taking your offer. Let's go!"

"Of course." Lynx rolled her eyes and placed her cup on the table before grabbing her blaster.

Ren followed after grabbing his helmet and lightsaber from his room. As they walked down the halls, he noted that Lynx and Mia kept their heads low which infuriated him. They were supposed to be superior, not the non-force wielding aliens.

"Ren, don't judge." Mia said before he could go any further.

"We don't bow down to others." Ren hissed, making sure the Chiss walking past didn't hear that comment.

"You don't but you should. After all, we are in their territory. They know this place like the back of their hand so if we are to provoke them, we wouldn't make it out of here alive." Lynx retorted before they arrived outside.

The blizzard had passed leaving a clean white and serene stretch of land in front of them. The sky was bright blue and clear of any clouds while the horizon was slightly hazy. Ren looked at Mia who took a sip from her cup and was about to put it away when her tongue was caught in the frozen coffee.

"Great." She managed to mumble while trying to pull her tongue out of the ice.

"Apparently, it is that cold." Lynx chuckled at the display before rolling her shoulders. "So, Ren. I assume you want to train Mia first or do you want a spar now?"

"I need a warm up." Ren replied, cracking his knuckles before taking out his saber.

Lynx gave a nod before walking away from Mia and stood on the opposite side of Ren. While the Knight ignited his lightsaber, Lynx folded the handle and the trigger before detaching the barrel of the blaster with the two fin-like decoration. He narrowed his eyes when she activated her lightsaber before it turned into a surprise when the rest of the weapon changed into a scythe. The lightsaber was black on the tip before it slowly turned to white near the hilt while the scythe was straight up orange in color. He thought she would have discarded the second part or kept it away but that new revelation surprised him.

"Do you like it?" Lynx smirked and Ren twirled his lightsaber before getting into his attack stance.

"Depends on how you use it." He replied.

Lynx chuckled before using her boot thrusters to rush forward, her lightsaber ready to stab his neck but he only sidestepped out of the way. The force told him of a secondary strike which was her scythe so he blocked it then took two steps back to put some distance. He was about to strike when Lynx swung her lightsaber again which forced him to block that and duck under the scythe. She wasn't giving him time to think and he knew he wouldn't be able to survive long if that was the case. So, he force pushed her away before quickly calculating how to break her line of defense.

 _The scythe is the killer._ He told himself. _The lightsaber is the distracter._

He knew that this was the case. So far, Lynx had been on the offensive, giving him no time to attack. He had to make a window for himself to attack or he won't be able to win this spar. He hoped her defense was not as good as her offense, just like himself. After a while, he used the force to make her stagger which allowed him to attack, striking time and time again only to find himself back on the defensive. He didn't even know how but Lynx had a way of subtly changing her defense to an offense which caused him to change along with her.

 _Mind games._ Ren growled before he found his back sunken in the snow and Lynx's lightsaber in front of his helmet.

"Nice try." She smirked before keeping her lightsaber and held a handout for him.

Ren stared at it for a moment before pushing it aside and stood up by himself, brushing away the snow from his robes. He looked up and noticed that there had actually been a crowd gathered to watch the fight. He growled at the thought of them watching his defeat but they seemed more intrigued than anything. Murmurs in their native language angered him further until Mia held his arm and pointed to the Chiss at the front. The Chiss started walking towards them, wearing a red sash to indicate his house.

"He is from House Nuruodo, they are in-charge of military and foreign affairs." Mia explained, her tongue was finally out of the ice and Ren glanced at her before looking back at the Chiss who had his hands behind his back, shoulders straight like a true soldier.

"Greetings, Master Ren. May I ask were did you learn such a technique?" He spoke, his basic was fluent which surprised Ren.

 _Say you taught it yourself._ Mia said in his mind.

"I taught it to myself after making my lightsaber." He voiced out and the Chiss narrowed his eyes at him before a small smile formed on his lips.

"You may prove useful after all." Then, the Chiss nodded towards Lynx who returned the gesture before he motioned for the other onlookers to disperse.

"What was that?" Ren questioned and Lynx smiled.

"Ren, you just got the interest of Mith'raw'nuruodo. You would know him as Thrawn."

* * *

A.N. Apparently I have a love for ending it off on cliff hangers when I, myself, hate cliff hangers. Le sigh. Also, I will not be uploading any chapters for the next two weeks - three maybe, if I'm lazy - due to exams and festivities. It's the end of the fasting month for me so it's time to celebrate but when I return, I'm hoping to finish this book in six more chapters because there's this idea for another book that's wanting to blow in my mind.


	17. Chapter 16

A.N. I'm back!

Funny story, I had Math exam on Weds so I brought a calculator with me. Once I arrived at the exam room, I decided to check if the calculator works to find that it doesn't have any battery... I'm smart but luckily my laptop has a calculator.

Anyways, hope ya'll enjoy this chapter :)

* * *

"I'm too young for this." Mart let out a sigh while looking out of the viewport of the _X-factor._

"At least you're not in-charge of the _Finalizer_. There's more guys there than here." Vix tried to rise his hopes up which worked slightly.

"Right, Mitaka's having a fun time with all those men. They're not close knit unlike us, ain't I right, Hoppins?" Jomes smirked at the other teen who nodded.

"I agree. Should we play Sabacc to pass the time? I doubt they will need us for anything." Hoppins smiled at Mart who rolled his eyes.

"We're going to get addicted to the game. I prefer to stay alert." Mart replied, his eyes narrowed on Csilla and the other ships in orbit beside them.

"Come on. Trihorn would allow us to play." Vix said and Mart let out a sigh before the comms beeped and Hoppins took a look at it.

"Looks like the _Finalizer_ is contacting us." He said and Mart nodded.

"Put it through." Mart told Hoppins and the holoform of Lieutenant Mitaka materialized in front of him.

 _"~Any contact from Grand Admiral Trihorn?~"_ The tenser officer asked.

"Not yet. I do believe he is currently busy." Mart replied, glancing outside the viewport before looking back at Mitaka.

 _"~This isn't good. What if something happened to them?~"_

"I doubt it." Mart retorted which caused Mitaka to scoff.

 _"~What would you know? You've never been in a battle.~"_

"That is true, which is why I know we are currently not in a battle. If we were, the fleet surrounding us would have attacked and we would have seen some blaster fire from the ground." Mart pointed out and Mitaka frowned before relenting.

 _"~I still think this was a bad idea.~"_

"There are no good ideas anymore." Mart mused before seeing the holoform of Trihorn appear beside them.

 _"~Greetings, gentlemen. I've finally managed to make contact.~"_ Trihorn said before Hux appeared beside him. _"~We need the best engineers to fly towards the coordinates given. Do not bring troopers for they are not necessary.~"_

"Yes, sir." Mart nodded before looking at Mitaka when another officer came up and whispered something to him.

 _"~What is it, Lieutenant?~"_ Hux questioned at the terrified look his loyal officer gave him.

 _"~Sir, we have an incoming shuttle sent by Supreme Leader Snoke. Three of the Knights are in that shuttle.~"_ Mitaka answered and Mart glanced at Trihorn who returned the look.

 _"~I have been warned of this ahead of time. Inform Ren of his Knights, he will take care of them. Meanwhile, send down another shuttle with materials that we have put aside for this mission.~"_ Hux ordered and the first sentence caused Trihorn to raise his eyebrow.

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_ Mitaka saluted before his holoform sizzled out.

 _"~Warned huh?~"_ Trihorn asked Hux who only walked away, leaving him to roll his eyes.

"Tri, what do we do?" Mart queried because he was missing out on something.

 _"~Stay on board the_ X-factor _and if possible, try to fix somethings up. There's still a lot of work to do before it gets back into full working condition. Also, help me scour the_ Finalizer's _profiles for some replacements to the gunners for the rail gun and the quad cannon. I feel like a battle is coming and I need them prepared.~"_ The Admiral responded.

"It will be done." Mart saluted before turning around to find himself nearly bumping into Isla who had been behind him. "Ensign, what are you doing here?"

"Uhm…" Isla chuckled nervously before looking away. "I was just about to ask about training more stormtroopers or officers."

Mart raised an eyebrow. "The _Finalizer_ should have those already."

"I meant getting more of them. There's not enough troopers and officers to spare between the entire fleet." Isla said and Mart turned around to face Trihorn again when he let out a hum.

 _"~We will definitely think about that in the future. For now, our time is limited. We have yet to return the fleet back to the Supreme Leader and I still have a personal affair to tend to. However Ensign, you may assist Mart seeing as you are currently free, I presume?~"_ There was a glint of mischief in Trihorn's eyes that Mart had caught and it caused him to tilt his head slightly.

"O- Of course, sir." Isla gulped before the holoform disappeared and she looked at Mart. "Shall we proceed, sir?"

Mart stayed quiet for a moment before he turned to look at her, "Yes, yes we shall."

##

After Ren recovered from his surprise, he started training Mia with Lynx watching on the sidelines. Mia was a fast learner and once she completed her training, Ren knew she would be a troublesome opponent. She didn't aim to kill. She was having a lot of fun, especially when he made her fall to the ground. An insane look would cross over her features which scared him. At the end of the training, they headed to the cafeteria where his communicator beeped.

"What is it?" Ren asked albeit annoyed at the disturbance.

 _"~Sir, the Knights sent by Supreme Leader is here.~"_ Mitaka replied with a slight shiver in his voice.

"Give them the best rooms and inform that I will tend to them tomorrow." Ren ordered while grabbing his serving from the chef.

 _"~Yes, sir.~"_

"So… Mind explaining?" Mia raised an eyebrow at Ren who sighed although it sounded like a growl due to the mask.

"Snoke told me about this yesterday. They were already approaching so I didn't have time to prepare for their arrival." Ren answered before taking a seat at the VIP section that was reserved for them.

"What do you plan to do with them?" Lynx questioned as she took a bite from the food which looked a lot like porridge.

Ren glanced at the other Chiss before closing the curtains and took off his mask, "I am certain that they were sent to make sure we're still on track. After the loss over Starkiller base, Snoke hasn't trusted us that well."

"Trust issues huh?" Mia licked her lips after using her hands to eat the meat. "I'd say, we should act as though they are there to help us even though that's not necessary."

"I'd say just send them back. Makes our life easier." Lynx suggested, finishing her plate before leaning back. "I'm bored."

"Really?" Ren queried before looking at Mia. "You're so easily bored?"

"The Empire gave us a lot of work to do and since there was only Lynx, Trihorn and I with only the _X-factor_ to control planets. Thus, when it comes to this, we get so easily bored." Mia shrugged then looked at Lynx. "Do you want to go see the shipyard?"

"Too far." She replied nonchalantly before a smirk formed on her face. "I feel like disturbing Thrawn instead."

"Oh, we both know how that'll end." Mia chuckled before looking at Ren, "One time, we really had nothing to do while working with Thrawn so she went to disturb him and came back with bruises. Although, I think you both suffered the same injuries."

"We did." Lynx nodded. "Which is why he told me I could disturb when he is too lost in his work. It says it helps him somehow… Still don't know how that works."

"You got to work with him?" Ren queried and Lynx nodded once again.

"Trihorn was the first one to meet him and befriended him. Then, during one of our expeditions, we got to work with him and we were so lost and bored that after a quick but deadly spar, we finally found our way." Lynx smiled as she leaned back before the curtain was moved and in came Thrawn who remembered to close the curtain and took a seat beside Ren.

"I hope you've had a fruitful time outside. The blizzard is returning once again." He said.

"Again? I barely slept last night from the cold!" Mia groaned and mumbled something into her hands before looking back up. "How are things here?"

"The threat in the Unknown regions have so far been quelled but it's only a matter of time before they strike again. I've studied the patterns and the next attack should be in six months." Thrawn responded, his red eyes seemingly glowing causing Ren to gulp quietly.

"Plenty of time to build a few fighters and gather more troops." Lynx said then looked at Ren. "Do we have anything else on our agenda other than returning the fleet?"

"I don't know. Hux usually plans for what we're supposed to do."

"For us, it's Trihorn, great." Lynx grumbled before taking out her communicator. "Brother, are you there?"

 _"~Better be quick, I'm about to ride before the storm gets worst.~"_

"Plans for the near future?"

 _"~We'll be grabbing more troopers after meeting with Snoke. I gotta go.~"_

"See you soon." Lynx said before leaning back and stared at the ceiling. "Thrawn, can we spar?"

"It is unwise to spar after a meal." Thrawn said and Lynx knocked her head on the wall behind her.

"You're not my physician." She scowled while Thrawn gave a smile.

"Of course, we can."

##

The journey back was just as bumpy and rough as the arrival, much to Hux's dismay. Despite the obvious annoyance, he was able to think about the amount of materials required to rebuild the machines and then, get the shipyard working to its full capacity. Currently, they have enough resources and manpower but it wasn't a lot. Once they returned to the rest of the fleet however, there might be enough. Might, because several of their good engineers are busy at the other shipyard. He might be able to spare a few though.

Once they arrived back at the main base, the hangar door was locked shut due to the impending blizzard probably being a hail storm or worse. Precautions were being taken which was why they started moving deeper into the base. After ten minutes of walking around and asking the other Chiss whether they had seen any of the other humans around, they found the other three in a training room. Hux had been too busy recalculating the resources when Trihorn elbowed him in the stomach and that was when he saw Lynx having a fist spar with one of the Chiss.

The Chiss was only in a black sleeveless shirt, showing his well toned muscles. Hux frowned at that but decided to push that thought away and join the others who were seated on a bench. Mia gave him a drink which he tasted and found it really sweet but also warm. He looked back at the spar when he heard someone hit the ground hard to see Lynx on the ground, doing a sweeping maneuver on the Chiss who hadn't seen it coming. He went down but managed to roll out of the way of her incoming punch and the two stood back up.

"You've improved." The Chiss said.

"Not bad for an old man either." Lynx smirked before she threw a right hook which was blocked.

"Who's the Chiss?" Hux asked, taking his eyes off of the spar.

"Him? Oh. It's Thrawn." Trihorn replied with a nonchalant shrug while Hux's eyes widened slightly.

"Wait, what? I thought-"

"He's dead?" Eli supplied and Hux nodded in reply. "That is what he wanted everyone to think. He knew the Empire was going to crumble so he faked his death and returned back to defend his home instead."

Hux only looked back at the fight to see Lynx tackle Thrawn to the ground before she was pushed away. Thrawn wiped a bit of blood from the corner of his mouth while Lynx spat out blood to the side. The both of them stood back up and Hux thought they were going to stop but then they went back into attack stance. He was worried about that. Compared to Thrawn, Lynx looked a whole lot more fragile but he was quite surprised at how well she was able to survive against the Chiss. Hux found himself engrossed in the fight that he didn't realize the others had been talking to him until Trihorn once again, elbowed him.

"Hello, Hux. Are you there?" Trihorn said in a mocking tone that caused Hux to scowl.

"What is it?" He asked, not bothering to take his eyes off the fight.

"We plan to leave once the storm is over." Mia said before Trihorn could.

"Yes, we still have a lot of work to do." Hux agreed, watching the spar end with a stalemate.

The both of them were breathing heavily and slightly bruised up but otherwise, they seemed untouched. The two of them bowed like martial artists before walking towards the rest of them. Lynx gave a smile at the sight of Hux and she proceeded to hold his hand and planted a kiss on his lips, something he hadn't expected. Then, she grabbed the towel tossed by Mia and she wiped the sweat from her forehead and a little bit of blood from her cheek.

"That was fun." Lynx said, looking at Thrawn who was also cleaning himself up before looking back at the others. "What are we going to do today?"

"Other than relaxing? Nothing." Trihorn replied, pulling Phasma closer to him. "We've got all night to do whatever."

"We should tell stories like old people." Mia piped up and they glanced at each other.

"That's actually not a bad idea." Eli agreed, taking a seat beside Trihorn.

"I guess we can let Hux choose." Trihorn suggested and since no one disagreed, they all looked at the General expectantly.

"Wait, what do I do?" Hux questioned and was a little unnerved by the attention on him.

"You pick someone and whoever that gets chosen tells a tale, be it a battle or just something random that they are willing to share." Mia answered and Hux thought about it before looking at Trihorn.

"I'm sure you have some smuggling tales to tell." He said and all eyes went to Trihorn who shrugged, loving the attention.

"If you say so. I guess one of my favorite tales would be smuggling the spices from Cyphar and that was literally a month before Thrawn destroyed said spices."

"Really?" Eli asked and the ex-smuggler nodded.

"I had a feeling those spices weren't going to last long so I called up a friend who happened to lead the smuggling run and I took a few to my shuttle to sell. I brought the spices to a hotspot on the black market where I earned a lot. Afterwards, I returned to the _X-factor_ and had my shuttle cleaned up." Trihorn said.

"This friend of yours, is he nicknamed Nightswan?" Eli questioned and Trihorn smirked.

"Maybe?" He answered vaguely before looking at Thrawn, "You're next."

Thrawn stayed quiet for a moment before he spoke, "I'm sure you want to know how I tricked my supposed death."

His answer were collective nods, especially from Hux. "When you have an explosion, it is near impossible to recover the body. I told my Captain that I would be in the hangar, where the bomb was set up. I managed to enter a TIE stealthily and set off the bomb when I landed on a nearby planet. Then, I proceeded to purchase a ride out. Afterwards, I contacted Eli and he helped me escape back to Csilla just in time to assist with the battle against the threat."

"I knew it." Hux mumbled but it was loud enough that everyone heard it and it brought a small smile to Thrawn's lips before it returned to its normal impassive look.

"Master Ren, I'm sure you have a story to tell." Thrawn looked towards the Knight who still had his helmet on.

Ren pondered for a moment, looking at the ceiling before he looked back at them. "When I was a child, I was rather mischievous. I remember sending the other children away when I used the force to move a can in a ghostly manner."

"Oh! I'm guilty of that as well. What kind of reactions do you get?" Mia asked and Ren chuckled beneath his mask.

"One of the more tougher boys screamed like a girl." Ren smirked at the memory while the others except Hux and Phasma, giggled. Thrawn only smiled at the image.

"Aw… My guy didn't scream like a girl but I did have someone stumble into a paint can! It was pink in color too!" Mia said causing all of them to laugh. Hux only broke into a smile while Phasma let out a chuckle.

"Kriff! I thought I had the most fun!" Trihorn giggled. "Alright, Ren. Choose the next player."

"I'm sure Lynx has something to tell." Ren said, looking at the orange girl who had been cleaning her blaster.

"Alright. I guess you want to know how my foster father got this blaster." Lynx started, glancing at each of them.

"Oh yes please." Trihorn smiled, resting both of his hands on his knees while slouching forward.

"Two years before I went for my first assassination mission, my foster father and I found a dark Jedi in a cave. The Jedi was, as you would guess, insane. He probably saw us as a Sith because he started attacking us instantly and kept mumbling something."

"Something?" Hux queried and everyone was fully intrigued in the story, even her siblings.

"My young mind couldn't understand it and I never asked my foster father either. After a bit of a tussle with the Dark Jedi, we managed to defeat him and my foster father took his lightsaber as well as the other kyber crystal that was in his pockets. He went to work making the special blaster which took him a year to complete." Lynx finished before looking at Phasma. "Your tale?"

All eyes turned to Phasma who cleared her throat, "I don't know what to say."

"I'm sure you have something. How about one of the Stormtroopers?" Mia suggested and Phasma thought about it before sighing.

"The only tale I can think of is FN-2187 but we all know he betrayed us." She said, glancing at Hux and Ren.

"Is he that good? I've seen the reports but I thought they were all… Eh." Trihorn stopped himself there when Phasma narrowed her eyes at him. "I never trusted anything that was written in the reports."

"Why so?" Phasma queried and Trihorn shrugged.

"There's the problem of misinformation and really subjective opinions in them. Thrawn would know about it." Trihorn gestured towards the Chiss who nodded.

"The Empire was Xenophobic. It was expected from them." Thrawn agreed.

"So, you don't trust me?" Phasma asked and Trihorn looked stunned.

"I'm sorry, what makes you think that I don't?"

"Because I wrote the report." Phasma retorted and Trihorn's face turned into regret.

"I didn't know."

"Sure, you don't." She scowled, getting up abruptly and ran out.

"Phasma wait!" Trihorn stumbled over his seat before chasing after her while the others glanced at each other.

"That was something." Mia commented before a creaking sound echoed through the whole base. "That did not sound good."

"The blizzard is getting stronger. Sooner or later, we will have to move deeper underground." Thrawn said, looking at the other Chiss who were packing up and briskly walking out of the room.

"What about the other two?" Lynx asked worriedly.

"Mia can inform them about the predicament using her force powers. We must move once the other Chiss are gone." Eli said and Ren tilted his head slightly.

"Shouldn't the guests be moved first?"

"Superiority, Master Ren. The Chiss value their own kind higher than others which is why you will be moved last. I, for one, disagree with that thought." Thrawn replied before another creak, much louder than the last sounded followed by a cool breeze that swept over them caused Thrawn and Eli to stand instantly. "We have to go now."

This time, a crashing sound exploded before the ground shook beneath them followed by a shout, "Look out!"

##

"Phasma! I didn't mean it!" Trihorn ran down the hall to find the chrome trooper briskly walking, away from him.

He grabbed her shoulder before moving back when she turned around, "Everything is a game to you isn't it?!"

 _I'm sooo lucky these halls are empty._ Trihorn quickly thought before saying, "Yes but that's how I got through in life!"

"Honesty won't get you anywhere, Admiral." Phasma hissed venomously which caused Trihorn to gulp at the sudden fear rushing through his veins.

"Phasma, I'm a smuggler and I've learned that to succeed in life, I have to be cautious of those around me. Heck, in the early days I was cautious of my siblings! Believe me when I say that I didn't mean to offend you in any way shape or form." Trihorn said, pausing to catch his breath. "I'm not the only one either. Just look at Ren and Mia, their relationship is building on trust. Lynx depended on Hux to see which is why their trust formed so easily but Mia's trust is still wavering with Ren."

Phasma didn't move which caused Trihorn to tense slightly and think of all the possible outcomes of the situation. He thought he heard a creaking sound in the distance but shrugged it off as hallucinations from the sudden freezing temperatures. His eyes darted behind Phasma before he looked back at her unmoving form. He had one fear and that fear was when someone showed no signs of movements.

Unlike most other officers, Trihorn took note of his fears and tried to keep them at bay. He couldn't remove them, that would take too long and it was also a part of him. He could only understand them and the ways to stop it from showing. One of his fears was when the opponent didn't make a move. It usually meant danger, something his intelligent mind kept putting it into and in this case, he was afraid of what Phasma would say.

 _Would she reject me?_ Trihorn thought before letting out a scoff. _I doubt it._

"Tri, I-" Phasma was cut off by a loud creak from the wall beside them and Trihorn immediately tackled her to the side.

"Kriff!" He yelled before the ceiling started collapsing on them and despite not wearing any armor, he bent over Phasma protectively as a body shield. "Hang on!"

The noise was deafening and Trihorn found himself in darkness within ten seconds of the whole ordeal. When he woke up, it was still in darkness and he was freezing from the cold air around him. He was actually quite surprised he survived the crushing force of the snow and the ceiling but then he realized that the ceiling barely touched his head. It seemed that the wall was still supporting it. He let out a groan when he tried to move and instead looked at Phasma. He could have sworn he heard her sobbing.

"Phasma?"

"Tri!" He raised an eyebrow at Phasma's relieved tone before realizing that he must have been knocked unconscious for a few hours. "Are you okay?"

"I'll live." He replied, trying to push the ceiling higher before having to go lower when it screeched in protest and slid down, tightening the already limited space. "Blast, we're trapped."

"What do we do?!" Phasma was panicking and Trihorn knew that they won't survive long if that's the case.

"Hey, hey. Calm down, we're going to be fine." He said calmly despite the thrumming in his heart.

"I- I can't." She replied hesitantly.

"Why?" He asked.

"I'm claustrophobic." She admitted and Trihorn cursed internally but he also thought about how to fix this situation.

"Just think of being in open space, Phasma."

"Not helping." Phasma deadpanned and Trihorn knocked the back of his head on the fallen ceiling, feeling incredibly stupid for suggesting that.

"Okay, just keep breathing. Don't take deep breaths because we have limited oxygen. Relax your whole form and time will go by much quicker, believe me." He said before scanning the box they were in.

After a while, Phasma said, "I'm sorry."

"For what?" He queried, voice going low into a whisper to save oxygen.

"I- I'm sorry for reacting the way I did just now. I was just in disbelief because of all we've gone through." She explained and he smiled softly.

"Phasma, you shouldn't be sorry. I was raised that way and it's taking a while for me to adapt to the new situation. I've never had to trust anyone else other than my siblings so it's taking a while." He told her before the ceiling screeched again, lowering until it touched Trihorn's back. "We'll have to push the ceiling to get out of here."

"Are you sure that's wise? What if the snow is too thick for us to climb through? What if it's too heavy for us to push?" Phasma asked worriedly and Trihorn only smiled reassuringly.

"If you don't trust my Smuggler personality, trust my Grand Admiral personality." He said.

"And how would I know which is in control?" She questioned.

"You will know." He replied simply before grunting when he tried to push the fallen ceiling.

Phasma joined in, placing both of her hands on it before the both of them nodded at each other and tried to stand up. The screeching of metal against metal was heard while they put in all of their strengths to get out of their predicament. Their work paid off and they were greeted by fresh air and the sun, shining on their faces or helmet but there was no heat due to the freezing temperature.

Trihorn climbed out of the little square hole they were in before holding his hand out for Phasma to grab. She gladly did so after grabbing her blaster and they looked at the ruined base that looked completely worse for wear. He wondered if the shipyard was damaged as well but then he remembered the walls were created with something extremely sturdy and strong. He doubted it had crumbled but he was going to check it later before leaving for his smuggling run with Lando.

"Where are the others?" Phasma asked, scanning the surroundings.

"I don't know." Trihorn muttered before his eyes caught sight of something in the distance. "There!"

As soon as he pointed at it, snow exploded into the sky and they saw the others standing up. Trihorn knew that either Ren or Mia had used the force to get out of their little grave and he was just glad that they were still together. He glanced at Phasma before they ran towards the other group and his two siblings tackled him in a hug.

"Bro! Don't you dare do that again…" Mia said while Trihorn tried to stand back up as he felt slightly awkward with all the stares.

"That is a promise that I cannot promise." He replied before parting from her siblings, looking at Thrawn. "How are you going to rebuild this?"

"This base was not permanent. We were about to move to a much bigger and stronger one in a few weeks but it seems that now seems like a good time." Thrawn answered before seeing the other Chiss coming out of the underground shelter. "I must tend to my people. Until we meet again."

"Until we meet again indeed." Trihorn nodded, shaking his hand before watching him leave.

"So… We need a shuttle." Mia pointed out and Trihorn's eyes widened when the thought hit him.

"Kriff! You have got to be joking!" He groaned, his shoulders slumping slightly as he started brooding. "I spent twenty years upgrading that shuttle."

"You have the chance to rebuild it, bro." Lynx pointed out before taking out her communicator. "Mitaka, you there?"

 _"~Yes, sir. We've been worried as to where you've been.~"_

"There was a massive blizzard that swept past which destroyed the base but we're all safe. Right now, send a shuttle down with the best pilots." Lynx told him.

 _"~Right away and sir, the Knights are getting restless.~"_ Mitaka added, his voice suddenly quavering.

"We will be on the _Finalizer_ soon, Mitaka. Don't worry about them but just to be safe, stay on the bridge." Lynx told him.

 _"~Noted, sir.~"_ Mitaka replied and Lynx heard him gulp before the call ended.

"We have to get back quickly. I don't want the Knights to destroy my ship and crew." Hux grimaced slightly at some old memory causing Lynx to giggle.

"I'm surprised. Not even the Inquisitorius are as destructive as you say the Knights are." Eli commented before looking at Ren who glared at him behind the mask.

"I'm right here, Eli."

"He's the equivalent of the Grand Inquisitor within the Knights." Mia pointed out and Eli took a small step back.

"Ah, my mistake." He apologized sheepishly before standing straighter. "However, they were able to control their anger better than you would assume."

"That's because the Inquisitorius came from fallen Jedi Knights. Therefore, they know how to control their emotions unlike the younger generations." Mia replied, pointing nonchalantly towards Ren to prove her point.

"Hey, shuttle's here." Trihorn interrupted, pointing towards the sky where Ren's _Upsilon_ shuttle slowly landed on a flat piece of land, wings folding upwards, parallel to each other.

"Well, this is where we say goodbye." Eli smiled slightly, holding out a hand to Hux who shook it. "I hope to work with you soon."

"The feeling's mutual. It would be wonderful to have an experienced Admiral such as yourself on board." Hux replied with a nod before entering the shuttle with Lynx in tow.

Then, Eli shook hands with the Knight. "I don't mean to offend you in any way, Ren. Think of it as a friendly banter."

"Of course." Ren replied before Eli felt something hit the back of his head and realized that it was a snowball.

"Really?" Eli muttered while Ren only chuckled.

"What? I am mischievous." He answered before looking at Mia. "Let's go."

"See ya, Eli!" Mia yelled childishly then ran after Ren who entered the shuttle.

"Now it's my turn." Trihorn smirked before giving Eli a bro hug, patting him on the back then parted. "I can't say how glad I am to meet you again, but I am. I just wish Piett was here as well."

"He went down fighting, Trihorn. That is something we are both proud of." Eli said solemnly and Trihorn nodded before entering the shuttle. "Phasma, take care of the Admiral for his own sake and mine."

"I will." She nodded and walked forward only to stop when he held her shoulder.

"When Trihorn goes smuggling, don't ever say he's going to be fine because he won't be. Just be prepared if something happens to him."

"How will I know that if I don't see him being in trouble?" Phasma queried and Eli smiled softly.

"You will know and if you don't, Lynx and Mia will tell you."

* * *

A.N. A long chapter, I know but this book is about to come to a close soon. I just have to introduce one more pair. ;)


	18. Chapter 17

A.N. So like 17 chapters in and I'm introducing a new pair... Oh well. Either way, all masks from the Knights of Ren will be from Payday 2 because I'm too lazy to search from other games/sources. Other than that, I've been pretty addicted to Payday 2 for the last month.

* * *

 _Paranoia._ The air in the bridge of the _Finalizer_ was filled with it.

It was no wonder either as no one on board the _Finalizer_ trusted the Knights of Ren. Everyone feared them but their fear of Kylo Ren was slowly diminishing as they were starting to get to know him more. Having Mia helped the First Knight control his emotions but the other Knights were still wild and temperamental. The Knights don't know privacy either because everyone on the _Finalizer_ had felt it…

The pressure of someone using the force on their minds. Mitaka knew they were trying to be stealthy but unlike Mia who was an expert at stealthing using the force, the Knights know nothing about it. He also preferred having Mia looking through his mind and thoughts all day rather than the Knights because when she did it, there was no pain. The Knights however, didn't care about the discomfort their actions gave.

He just hoped that his superiors would return soon or he might find himself following this feeling ever since he felt the pressure. It was the Knights way of calling an officer without having to move out of their guest rooms. It works well on the more weak-willed officers but Mitaka had been training himself to be stronger. Currently, he was on the bridge, following Lynx's suggestion which is the best course of action at the current moment.

A noise behind him caused him to whirl around to face the door and he noted that everyone was looking in that direction as well. He tried to stay calm even though he understood the current event. The Knights were starting to get bored and they were looking for a playmate… Well, Mitaka started to pray to the force, despite not actually believing in it that he would make it out of this alive and unscathed. A few minutes of tensed silence passed before the door automatically opened causing his breath to hitch at the sight of only one Knight.

He was currently too afraid to care about where the others were.

"What can I help you with, sir?" Mitaka asked, pulling up the right file on the holopad in his hands.

The Knight's name was Rodi Zephyr and he was the youngest among the other Knights, being only seventeen years old. He was shorter than Mitaka, reaching only his shoulders but never underestimate the small guys. Zephyr had a slim build and was a human – although his gender was never stated in the records so Mitaka assumed the Knight was a 'he' - with a crescent on the forehead of his mask which was the Anomaly. All of the Knight's mask fitted their personality and this mask represented the odd one.

Zephyr has never spoken once to any of the other Knights or officers and only confided with Snoke. Mitaka's initial thought had been that the Knight was very shy. However, when given a task, he would complete it without hesitation and as the Knight walked towards him, Mitaka knew that this task was not good. He quickly darted his eyes to his fellow communications officer who tried to contact either one of their superiors but Zephyr snatched the communicator away with the force and crushed it.

Another one tried to do it stealthily but Zephyr knew it was coming as everyone's communicator started moving then hovered in the air around him, creating a shield. Mitaka knew the best moment to run would be now and that was what he did, dodging the devices that Zephyr tried to throw at him before bolting down the hall. Unfortunately, he didn't get far because the next thing he knew, the back of his head hit the floor so hard, he blacked out.

When he came to, he was staring at another mask. It was different and unlike Zephyr's more terrifying causing him to move back but found that he was already cornered. The Knight in front of him let out a sinister chuckle and he knew that this one was a female. There were only two ladies in the Knights and this one was definitely not the calmer lady.

In fact, he was in the presence of the insane Knight.

Her name was Misa Thorn and wore the Garreth mask which made her look even more Reptilian than she already was. She was a Ranth, slightly civilized but definitely violent. Everyone had been surprised when a Ranth joined the Knights due to their beliefs but this one was different than the rest.

"Aw, it's nice to know that you recognize me so well." Thorn stroked the left side of Mitaka's cheek and smirked when he let out a whimper at the sight of her sharp claws. A Ranth was Repitilian which meant that her voice would be hissy in a way but the mask made it sound a lot like growling.

"Thorn, enough. We are not here to babysit the petty officer." Mitaka felt his face pale at the sound of the other voice.

Standing by the door was a rather tall Knight and he was the second oldest as Ren was the first. A Mirialan by the name of Kil'a Tainen, he was an intelligent being and was known to be able to fly anything that was given to him. His mask was the Judge and he has been seen taking part in courts to give the final vote. Most of his vote ended with the accused being executed and Mitaka had been to one of those events. The witness gave solid points to defend his friend and even the jury believed him but then the Judge turned towards the only Mirialan amidst the benches.

When Mitaka first saw him, he let out a scoff because Tainen had just been a teen. Tainen was three years younger than him and back then, Mitaka had been nineteen years old so Tainen was sixteen. However, as soon as the Mirialan shook his head, the Judge told the convict that he was to be executed the next morning. Everyone was shocked at that, including Mitaka but he found out later that the witness had also been a con artist who was able to convince anyone to get what he wanted. It was a shame that he, too, was executed the same day as his friend.

"What a buzzkill." Thorn sighed before patting his cheek. "I'll see you later."

Mitaka flinched at the touch causing Thorn to smirk and leave the room, plunging him into darkness. He wondered where he was on the _Finalizer_ or _if_ he was still on the vessel he calls home. He noted that the room he was in was a storage room but it seemed empty. A noise to his left caused him to snap his head in that direction to see Zephyr just crouched down and watching him, his head tilted slightly to left. Mitaka felt his heart race and his breathing quickened before he forced himself to calm down and look at the Knight.

The pressure in his head increased and he saw a flash of an image passed by before he put up a mental barrier. However, the barrier was weak and the Knight easily bypassed it to view another image which caused Mitaka to close his eyes. He wanted to talk but there was a cloth covering his mouth which disabled him from doing so. Although, as soon as he thought about that, the cloth was removed and he was able to open his mouth. Instead of talking instantly, he moved his jaw as it felt stiff from however many hours he had been in the room.

 _Six hours._ He let out a yelp at the surprise and noted that the Knight had perked up amusedly.

He could also feel it in the air which confused him because he wasn't force sensitive, was he?

 _You're not._ The voice said again and this time, he could tell that it belonged to a girl.

 _Who are you?_ He questioned in his mind while eyeing the Knight cautiously.

 _I am right in front of you._ The voice answered, still amused and Mitaka raised an eyebrow at the Knight in front of him.

"Wait, you can't talk?" He questioned and the Knight nodded, although it had been such a small motion that he thought he was seeing things.

"So, you're a girl…" He trailed off when she nodded again.

He was slightly flustered for assuming her gender like that but she did have a build like a boy. Zephyr chuckled again and Mitaka found himself liking the sound of it. It was… Angelic. Her voice was angelic in his mind and he once again wondered, how a girl like her could end up in one of the Knights. She seemed too innocent, it didn't make any sense to him.

 _I did it by choice, Lieutenant._ Zephyr said in her sweet voice.

"Zephyr! Where the kriff are you?!" Mitaka flinched at the tone of Thorn's voice but Zephyr was unfazed.

 _I have to go._ Zephyr's voice had taken on a more serious and deadly note that caused Mitaka to gulp while watching her leave, the cloth going back to cover his mouth.

Although as she left, he couldn't help but wonder, why was he still alive?

##

"What do you mean he's gone?!"

When they had returned back to the _Finalizer_ , Ren and Mia had gone to the guest room where the three Knights had stayed only to find them missing. It gets even worse when they found out Mitaka was missing. The whole _Finalizer_ practically shook when Hux screamed his lungs out at the officer who had told him the bad news. That officer also immediately regretted informing the General. To Hux, Mitaka was like a little brother. He could see potential in him but kept his distance as attachments were forbidden.

"He h- had b- b- been here a m- moment ago, s- sir." The Ensign stuttered, gulping afterwards.

"Find him then!" Hux yelled and everyone scattered, typing on the computer or running out of the bridge.

"The Knights are gone." Ren said when he entered the bridge and Mia hid slightly behind Knight due to the intense fire in the force.

"They were traitors." Hux hissed, glaring at Ren and the Knight return the gesture, a storm settling in the force to counter Hux's fire.

"This is getting no where." Trihorn sighed while Lynx held Hux's hand, sending calming emotions through the contact. "Anger will get us no where… Except you Ren but Hux, you need a clear mind to think."

"Altered memories…" Mia muttered and everyone looked at her confused.

"We can do that?" Ren questioned and Mia looked at him before nodding.

"I've been looking up your Knights, Ren and studying their training videos. The only one who can do this is your youngest Knight."

"Zephyr? She's a weakling." Ren huffed while Mia shook her head.

"She has been focusing on one aspect of the force, the mind. I'm certain she can communicate with another being at the other side of the galaxy without any throwbacks. I'm also certain that she can alter everyone's mind." Mia replied, gesturing towards the other crewman and officers on the bridge who had stopped to listen.

"Wait, Zephyr is a she?" Hux questioned, his anger nearly gone but Lynx kept a little bit of residue due to the fact that she was furious as well.

Lynx found Mitaka to be a cute but loyal officer who would do anything to assist the First Order. She also noticed that whenever Mitaka was mentioned, there would be a feeling of protectiveness rushing through Hux. It was the kind of feeling that only an older sibling would give to protect their younger siblings. Since she had a younger sister, Lynx knew the feeling very well.

"Yes, she is." Mia nodded.

"What about security tapes?" Trihorn suggested and one of the officer played the video to show Mitaka walking out of the room. "Hm, that's altered as well. Mitaka is loyal and wouldn't dare exit the bridge when he knows he might be in danger."

"Tainen is the only one I can think of." Ren hissed with distaste. "He's been wanting to overthrow me ever since I joined the Knights. I wouldn't be surprised if he was in on this."

"So, what now? The Knights have taken every precaution to throw us off their tracks." Lynx said and everyone went into thought before Phasma cleared her throat, having been silent this whole time.

"I believe that we might have some witnesses." She pointed at the vessel parked right beside the _Finalizer_ and Trihorn took out his communicator.

"Mart, are you there?" He asked and there was a yelp from the otherside.

 _"~Yes, s- Trihorn.~"_ Mart corrected himself before adding. _"~What can I help you with?~"_

"Have you seen any shuttles leaving the _Finalizer_ within the last six hours?" Trihorn asked.

 _"~As a matter in fact, I have.~"_

~~Hours ago~~

"Mart, you're cheating!" Vix accused the Lieutenant who put his hands up in surrender.

"Hey, you tell me how to cheat in Sabacc? I have no clue!" Mart retorted, snatching the little amount of credits from the floor.

"Face it, Vix. You suck at Sabacc." Framann smirked at the Ensign who scoffed.

"Yeah, like you've won a round. Set us up for another game." Vix tossed his cards in the pile and Hoppins started gathering them and shuffled it before they looked at Isla who cleared her throat.

"Mart, you have a job to do." She reminded the Lieutenant who sighed.

"She's right. Another day, boys." Mart stood up and stretched his legs while the others protested.

"Come on, last round!" Hoppins yelled but Mart rolled his eyes.

"I'm not letting Isla take credit for all the work." He grumbled before movement from the corner of his eyes caught his attention.

He immediately looked in that direction to see a shuttle leaving the _Finalizer's_ hangar. He noted that the shuttle looked like Ren's _Upsilon_ shuttle but that shuttle had been flown down to Csilla a few moments ago. He realized that the shuttle must be the Knights that Mitaka was talking about although he didn't know what they were doing. However, he pushed that thought aside for something to look into later as currently, he still had a job to do. Still, he didn't trust Knights or force users for that matter. Heck, he only tolerated Mia and Ren because they were his superiors and Mia was related to the Grand Admiral. If Mia had been just some other Knight, he would have ignored her.

"Vix, a shuttle just left the _Finalizer_. I want you to lock in to it's hyperspace coordinates."

"Uhm… Sure? Why do you want me to do that?" Vix queried while getting up from his seat on the floor and walked to his computer.

"There's something weird going on and I don't like it one bit." Mart replied then looked at Isla who passed him two holopads.

"I've marked out a few potentials but I need you to confirm it for me while I look through the last list." Isla said and Mart raised an eyebrow at her tone.

"You're ordering me?"

"We're not in the midst of battle so we are all equal. If you were to disagree, I can just say that I did all of the work." Isla smirked at Mart's frown but the man did as he was told.

"Blast! One second too close." Vix scowled, slamming his fist on the computer before looking at Mart. "I've only gotten the system but I am unable to pinpoint the exact planet."

"It will do. Trihorn will want to have evidence when he comes back." Mart nodded before scanning the enlistees on the list.

~~Present~~

"Good job, Mart. Unfortunately, I won't be joining you on this hunt. I have to head out." Trihorn said, walking towards the door when Ren blocked his path.

"Let me join you." Ren said but Trihorn shook his head.

"Sorry, Ren. You have to deal with your loose cannons."

"Mia can handle them."

"No. Once you leave Mia's side, the both of you won't be able to control yourselves. Therefore, I need you to stay here with her." Trihorn retorted, patting Ren on his left shoulder before walking past him. "I understand you want to spend some time off but you need to help Hux in tracking down the Knights before the Supreme Leader finds out about it."

"Fine." The Knight relented, and Trihorn saluted before walking out of the room.

"All vessels, lock onto coordinates and jump to hyperspace on my signal." Hux ordered, glancing at Lynx who had removed her hand from his to hold her blaster at attention.

"Sir," Phasma caught his attention so he turned his head slightly to show that he was listening, "Now would be the best time for the stormtrooper training."

"Of course. Lynx," The Mandalorian turned her head to look at him. "Phasma requires your assistance in training the new stormtroopers. The one you've named Black Hearts."

"Perfect," Lynx turned around to face Phasma. "Let's go before I start dying of boredom."

"Sir, Trihorn's shuttle has jumped to hyperspace." One of the crewman informed.

Hux only nodded which caused the _Finalizer_ to move into position and jump to hyperspace, followed by the other vessels. He knew that this was a fool's errand to go after a single officer instead of returning to the fleet but he was not willing to have three powerful Knights run around freely while they were still at their weakest. It would not bode well when the universe unites against the First Order.

"I'm bored." Mia stated, breaking the tense atmosphere causing Hux to close his eyes to hold back the anger lingering in his veins.

"You can help your sister." He suggested and she looked at Ren before walking out of the bridge.

Hux didn't bother to glance at Ren when he stood beside him, staring out of the same damn windows. Hux was annoyed and it wasn't because Lynx wasn't here either. It was because Ren knew that his Knights had the thought of betraying him but he didn't do anything about it. Now, the one who suffers is his favorite officer who is loyal to the cause.

"General, would you like a quick stress reliever?" Ren questioned and Hux glared at him although he was slightly curious.

"And what can you do to assist with that?"

"Meet me in my personal training quarters if you require one." Ren replied, glancing at Hux before walking out of the bridge.

Hux looked back outside and stared at the blue lines of hyperspace before going into thought. He pondered for a moment because Ren wanted to spar with him to help release his stress… Both of their stress and anger. He remembered the spar Lynx and Thrawn did a day ago and also the tale Trihorn told him while they were making sure the shipyard was in check.

 _"When you're a warrior or a strategist, you spar to get your mind off of your current predicament and release all this energy inside of you."_ He had said, _"This was the case with Lynx and Thrawn except they went all out on each other. However, it helped them because staying idle for long, can make you short-tempered."_

He zoned in back into the present and made the decision. "If anything comes up, do not hesitate to inform me."

##

Mitaka had no idea how long he had been alone in the room after Zephyr left. However, after he felt the vessel shake from landing he assumed, Thorn came in to take him out. She didn't say a thing which was surprising and worrying at the same time. As soon as he stepped out into daylight, Mitaka had to look away and blink a few times for his eyes to adjust. He noted that they were at civilization which was buzzing with activity. Zephyr and Tainen were at the distance, staring out towards the horizon because they were at a platform in the mountains.

They walked up to the other two and Mitaka found himself in awe how the ocean reflected the sun making it glitter. He quickly focused back at the other Knights but they were probably communicating using the force. He scowled internally because he couldn't plan ahead and be prepared of what's coming. He also realized that Zephyr had been staring at him amusedly. Tainen completely ignored him which was expected because Mitaka was inferior despite being three years older than the Mirialan. Thorn only sent glances which were lustful and mischievous causing him to flinch every time she did.

"Looks like we will be staying here, mon chéri." Thorn purred in his ear before getting shoved back by the force.

 _He will be under my care, Thorn._ Zephyr hissed venomously, her angelic voice no longer in play.

"Since when did you start caring for a man, Zephyr? If I recall correctly, you hated men." Thorn pointed out and Mitaka could tell she was smirking.

 _As much as I hate them, I hate you even more._ Zephyr retorted and Thorn was slightly taken back by this but she didn't show it.

"Enough, sisters." Tainen interrupted although he was intrigued by this. "Thorn, your expertise will be required to find a suitable temporary hideout."

"Who shall I seduce?" Thorn questioned and Tainen only pointed to the building nearby which was a motel. "I'll be right back, _brother._ "

Thorn trailed Mitaka's shoulders causing him to shiver before she left, eagerly swaying her hips which attracted the other men in the vicinity. Mitaka only grimaced internally because of the fact that she was a Ranth and were vicious predators. A thought crossed his mind and he wondered if she joined the Knights because she was banished due to her lustful tastes.

"Zephyr, tend to the officer you've put yourself in charge of." Tainen spoke, glancing between the two before reentering the shuttle.

Mitaka watched Tainen enter before looking back at Zephyr who had tilted her head. Then, she walked up to him and removed his binds so he rubbed his wrists from the tight bonds. He shouldn't be thankful. In fact, he should feel the exact opposite but something about her told him that she would keep him safe. She was still very amused about something and it was starting to annoy him.

"What?" He questioned.

 _You're cute, you know that?_ She chuckled, her angelic voice returning but Mitaka was too offended with that sentence to care while he fixed his cap.

"I'm a Lieutenant. I am anything but cute." He huffed.

 _Cutie pie._ She giggled and Mitaka scowled but he didn't feel any anger towards her.

"Where am I?" He asked, looking at the horizon to try and remember the planets he had studied.

 _A planet that you won't know._ She replied and he looked at her with his eyes narrowed.

"How do you know that?" He questioned and could still feel the same damn amusement forever present in the air.

 _Your memories are not that tightly locked, Lieutenant._ She said then looked at the sky. _You've never seen beauty, have you?_

Mitaka didn't answer to that. He didn't have to. He knew that she had seen his memories, viewed his past so an answer was rhetorical to her. He felt something shift and somehow knew that her amusement had now turned into empathy. He looked at her curiously, wondering why she was giving off these emotions when she was a Knight… A dark side force user.

"Why?" He asked and she looked away. "Why did you save me?"

"Zephyr! Enough dillydallying!" Thorn yelled from the shuttle, having returned from her task. "Help me move these items!"

Mitaka watched as Zephyr left him alone before he let out a sigh and looked at the horizon again, the sound of waves crashing against the rocks. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the wind blowing on his face before he reopened them with determination. He didn't have his communicator on him and he needed to get word out to the fleet somehow. He glanced at the other ships and materials in the vicinity before putting some pieces together in his mind.

"Don't even think about it." Tainen hissed behind him that caused his shoulders to tense involuntarily.

He turned on his heel to face the Mirialan, "I will succeed one way or another."

"I doubt so." Tainen muttered unamused which caused Mitaka to grit his teeth.

It was true though. Mitaka was nothing like Hux or even Trihorn. He didn't have the stern and assertive energy of Hux or the charming smuggler personality of Trihorn. He was a nervous wreck and being in the presence of three force users didn't help him one bit. He couldn't blame the training, he had to be obedient and loyal to his superiors which caused him to be nervous due to the possible punishment he might received if his task was done wrong. Well, that time with Ren didn't count.

"Now, if you want to live, I suggest following me." Tainen growled slightly behind his mask and Mitaka gulped but did as he was told.

The motel that they had rented looked relatively new. Inside, everything was clean and neat which surprised him. This should be a hotel if it was this nice but the room was quite small. He was shoved into a corner of the room while they lounged at the sofa, playing with the force like little children. Mitaka only sat down at the corner and watched them, mainly Zephyr who would be laughing with the other two Knights at the holonet when some dumb news was told.

He looked out of the window when he found himself staring at her. He was starting to feel something for her and he didn't like it one bit. He was only an officer and an officer being in love with a Knight was… It was nearly impossible. It was a dream that could never be achieved and he might as well forget about it but the force told him, that he would make it. Well, he definitely didn't believe in the force but right now, he was starting to have second doubts. He saw Tainen entering the kitchen but he came out empty handed because there was no food available.

"I need to buy some necessities." Thorn said, before the two of them left the room leaving Mitaka and Zephyr alone again.

 _Do you need anything?_ Zephyr questioned and Mitaka let out a scoff.

"A communicator, if you don't mind." He said causing her to chuckle.

 _Impossible… But I'm sure you'll find a way._ She said before patting on the seat beside her. _Come. The sofa is much more comfortable than the floor._

"I don't listen to you." He hissed but his back and butt was aching.

 _As a captor, I suggest you do._ She retorted and Mitaka relented, getting up from his spot and took his seat.

"Why are you doing this?" Mitaka questioned and Zephyr looked at the door before looking back at him.

 _Supreme Leader gave me a mission to spy on Second Knight. He knew Tainen was going to betray First Knight which is why I'm with him right now. Although, you were not supposed to be involved._ She looked at the ground and he felt guilt flowing through the force.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked curiously and she looked at him again.

 _We were sent to the_ Finalizer _to kill the incompetent officers. You were included on that list but when I tried to call you, you wouldn't follow the feeling. I was impressed but Tainen and Thorn, were not. When we did capture you… I realized just how important you were to the General so I managed to stop them from doing the final blow. We brought you with us and now, we're here._ She explained and Mitaka was taken back by this.

"Supreme Leader sent you… To kill me?"

 _Actually, it wasn't him who put you on that list. It was Ren._ Mitaka tilted his head slightly, looking perplexed so Zephyr elaborated, _We looked through your memories and although Ren had thought of killing you for informing him about the droid and the traitor, he hadn't. We wanted to rectify that._

"I see…" Mitaka gulped before looking outside the window and was surprised to see the _Finalizer_ approaching the island.

 _That was fast._ Zephyr commented before Tainen and Thorn burst into the room.

"We have to go now."

~~Meanwhile on the other side of the galaxy~~

"Heyo Lando!" Trihorn smirked, giving the older man a bro hug which was returned.

"Hey, Tri. What happened to your favorite shuttle?" Lando questioned and the other let out a groan.

"Nature hates me." He sighed before looking around Cloud City. "You've been busy."

"Very. I suppose we should not waste time. I'm sure you have a lot of work to do in your new position?" Lando smiled softly and Trihorn nodded before they started walking down the hall.

"I require a new vehicle. Bringing a First Order vessel will not do good." Trihorn said.

"Of course." Lando nodded. "Although, this vessel won't be new but it is familiar."

"Huh?" Trihorn raised an eyebrow before they turned the corner and his jaw dropped. "No way…"

Years before Trihorn even joined the Empire, he bought his first ever vessel after a successful first run. The vessel had been a prototype that he managed to purchase off the market before anyone else could. It had special features and was definitely odd shaped compared to other freighters. Aptly named, the _Eaglet_ , – looks like Ravager's M-Ships from Guardians of the Galaxy because I'm original - it was fast and easy to handle.

Trihorn had wanted to replicate the vessel but when he returned to the same seller, he found out that the seller was killed in a fire. All of his works and blueprints were lost to the blazing inferno so there was no way to rebuild or replicate the prototype. He had taken some time to study it but he didn't have enough time with the Clone Wars ending and the Empire rising.

"I kept it safe even after the Empire days." Lando smiled at Trihorn who started trailing his hand on the hull of the ship.

"I thought you lost it after Cloud City was taken." Trihorn muttered, remembering the texture and the feel of his other favorite prize.

"I got around the blockade and saved it in time." Lando shrugged before following Trihorn into the vessel.

"Everything is just as I remember it to be… Oh hey! My old blaster." Trihorn picked up the small pistol from the table and aimed down the sights before putting it back. "I don't think it works anymore."

"I suggest testing the engines." Lando said and since Trihorn didn't disagree, the both of them entered the cockpit to spend the next few hours trying to get the vessel working again.

"Man! We haven't even started and I'm dirty already!" Trihorn chuckled along with Lando before the older man was called by an officer.

"I'll be right back." He said to the other who was still fixing the engines.

"Don't take your time!" Trihorn shouted and Lando only saluted back. "Huh, the good old days."


	19. Chapter 18

"They're here." Ren said, looking at Hux who seemed eager to get his Lieutenant back.

"You will have a day to capture the Knights. Supreme Leader will want to decide their punishment." Hux told him.

Ren nodded before walking out of the room to meet up with Mia at the hangar. They were only bringing one squad of troopers as the Black Hearts were still doing their training. Other than that, they were dealing with Knights so it would be a waste to bring a few squadron. When they arrived at the hangar, Ren found the Knight's _Upsilon_ shuttle which meant that they were still on the planet. He nodded towards Mia who ordered four troopers - two being riot troopers - to be stationed there while the other six troopers including one megablaster heavy assault trooper to help them scour the city.

"Ren, contact Zephyr with the force." Mia ordered and Ren looked at her weirdly.

"She betrayed us."

"She didn't." Mia retorted. "She's working as a spy for Supreme Leader. Therefore, she might be able to inform us of their current position."

"And how do you know that?"

"I noticed she keeps looking at Second Knight and managed to put the pieces together. I might be wrong but I'm definitely sure that she is spying Tainen." Mia explained.

"Very well." Ren sighed, closing his eyes before reopening them to find himself in the darkness of the force.

Standing beside him was Mia who was just in the form of wind blowing with pink colored leaves, swirling in a tornado to signify that she was beside him. He was a storm in the darkness, with flashes of lightning appearing every few seconds. When he looked up, he could see the burning red flame of Hux, floating aboard the _Finalizer_. There was also the plasma of Phasma and a bright blue flame signifying Lynx. He looked back at Mia who had moved forward and was now floating a few meters in front of him so he followed. He could feel his physical form, weaving through the dense crowd while he was spiritually looking for Zephyr. Time flies fast while being in this state so he was also conscious of the clock ticking by.

 _Master Ren._ An angelic voice spoke and he immediately knew it was Zephyr.

The streets were starting to get deserted as night time was approaching. It made it slightly easier for him but he knew it would any time now until Hux decides to take it to the next level.

 _Where are you?_ He questioned, noticing that Mia was gone from his view and was instead replaced by ball of yellowish-white light with angelic wings on its back.

 _I am in a building towards the center of town. Tainen has set up a trap with Mitaka being the bait._ Zephyr replied and Ren was surprised to hear worry in her tone.

 _Can you get him out?_ He decided to ask seeing as love was something no one could stop from building.

 _I am unsure but I will try. Thorn is with me and Tainen should be near your position._ She replied and Ren immediately stopped running when a purple form appeared to the right of him.

His physical form stopped as well in an alleyway where Tainen had decided to show up. Both Knights ignited their lightsabers, fury and calmness present in the air. Ren channeled both sides of the force and felt a surge of power course through him. He noted that Tainen didn't channel the force at all which caused him to do a double take of the situation. He expanded his senses and felt the presence of mines behind the boxes.

 _Hesitation? That is new…_ Tainen muttered in the force link that had not been severed.

 _You no longer know me, Tainen._ Ren hissed, twirling his lightsaber before using the force to lift up the mines. _This trick again?_

 _It seems you have learned._ Tainen said, force pushing Ren who stumbled back and dropped the mines.

Then, Tainen ran forward and struck downwards but Ren managed to block it. In the force, Ren saw four tentacles curling around him in a tight grip so he sent a thunder strike that caused Tainen to reel back. The fight was not only physical but mental as well with Ren being a storm and Tainen being a tentacled alien. This was a fight that not many could assist because if one were to be assisted physically, they would be weaker mentally which would bring insanity. If it was the opposite, it usually meant death. However, if one were to give assistance both mentally and physically, chances of winning were multiplied tenfold.

The last was the case of the fight between Ren and Tainen. Mia who had disappeared earlier on, returned to Ren's field of vision but he made sure not to give away her position as he fought. Ren blocked a swing before getting force pushed and he landed on his back with a grunt. He was about to get up but Tainen was much faster and placed his left boot on his chest, pushing him back down. Ren's lightsaber was moved away before the Second Knight pointed his lightsaber at Ren's neck. Tentacles wrapped around the storm and despite all the thunder strikes Ren was giving, it didn't affect them at all.

 _It seems that I win this final battle._ Tainen lifted his saber while his tentacles wrapped around tighter, about to give the final blow until a lightsaber blocked the strike and wind pushed the storm away from the impending doom. _What?!_

 _No one gets to hurt him other than me._ Mia hissed, the wind blowing wildly and created a tornado which proceeded to carry the tentacled monster into the air while Mia sent a flurry of attacks in real life.

Tainen blocked each of them but fatigue started to wash over him and one jab managed to hit his upper arm. He yelped in surprise which allowed Mia to sweep his legs then kick his head causing disorientation. Ren was slightly surprised at the display because he had never seen Mia so… Determined in killing. During their training, she had always aimed to injure, not kill and this was definitely new to him.

"Troopers, cuff him." Mia ordered the troopers who had been hiding behind the corner this whole time.

 _You're not going to kill me?_ Tainen asked, surprised and Mia shook her head.

 _We'll let Supreme Leader decide your fate._ She replied before following the troopers in escorting Second Knight. _Ren, I suggest you find Mitaka before Hux starts destroying this whole city._

 _He wouldn't do that knowing his favorite Lieutenant is still in here._ Ren retorted.

 _Oh? He's about to._

##

"Has there been any word from Ren?" Hux asked the officer who shook his head.

"No, sir." The Officer replied. "They have not yet reported back."

"Prepare the turbolasers. If Ren doesn't report back in ten minutes, you may fire at the city." Hux said, feeling slight pressure in his mind which he knew was Mia.

He frowned at that but didn't bother putting up a wall because he didn't need to. Mia would inform Ren of his plans which would reduce the time needed to contact the Knight. He had become subconscious of Mia's presence ever since they arrived at Csilla. It was odd because everyone else was still oblivious to the fact that Mia was always listening to their thoughts. Hux somehow knew when the violet haired girl was listening in and when she wasn't.

 _General, give Ren more time._ Mia said in his mind. _Thorn and Zephyr are evading us rather effectively._

 _I have given more leisure time than possible. Supreme Leader will want us to be with the rest of the fleet soon and the journey will not be short._ Hux retorted, glancing at the rest of the crew.

 _We still have to wait for Trihorn. He will not return in a few days…_ Mia pointed out and Hux pinched the bridge of his nose before sighing.

 _I will give you one more day. If you do not find him till then, I will fire upon the city._ He relented, giving the order to the officers as well.

 _He will be back in your care, General. Do not worry about him._

##

When Lando returned from his talk session with the officer, they started up the _Eaglet_ and jumped into hyperspace to Correlia where their contact was currently residing. Lando briefed Trihorn rather skimpily which raised his suspicions about this being a trap. After all, Correlia was the New Republic territory which means that he might have to make preparations earlier than expected. They arrived at Correlia a few hours later and landed on a free platform.

"Wait here. I'll be right back." Lando told Trihorn who shook his head.

"I need to look for some jewelry." He said and Lando raised an eyebrow.

"You trying to woo a lady or have you already done so?" Lando questioned and Trihorn gave a smirk.

"I won't tell you unless you allow me to come with you." Trihorn winked and Lando chuckled.

"Tempting but I'll pass. I'll see you back here in two hours." The older man said before leaving.

Trihorn let out a sigh before locking his vehicle and went into the streets, subtly stealing a coat in the meantime. He wore said cloak and pulled the hood up before putting his hands in the pockets. He was wearing his Grand Admiral uniform so that would surely drag unwanted attention. He found the store he was looking for and went in, seeing rows of glittering jewels and pearls all ripe for the taking.

"Hello, sir. How may I help you?" The store owner asked, walking out of the back room he had been in.

"Hi, what do you have that complements blue eyes?" Trihorn questioned while scanning the store.

"What type of blue are you talking about?"

"Dark blue."

"I think this will work." The owner took out an ice-jewel from its display and gave it to Trihorn. "Mined by the finest hands."

"Perfect. What about one for orange?"

"The Naboo Night Pearl will do the trick. Anything else?" The owner queried, eyes glittering with excitement.

"One more, violet." Trihorn said and the owner hummed in thought while looking at the jewels.

"I believe this will be good." The owner slowly walked towards one gem that was glowing fiery-orange in the dark display. "The flame gem."

"Oh boy, that's fancy." Trihorn smirked then looked at the owner. "I'll take em all. How much?"

"Twenty thousand credits." The owner smiled and Trihorn nodded.

"They will be transferred in two days time." He said before turning around, the gems still in his hands.

"Uhm, excuse me. Could you return those until you've given the payment?" The owner questioned and Trihorn only glanced at him with a smile.

"The payment will be transferred. You do not have to worry about that."

##

"Keep moving." Thorn pushed Mitaka who stumbled but luckily didn't fall down the stairs.

Mitaka let out a hiss but continued walking. They didn't put a cloth around his mouth so he was able to shout for help but he knew that there was no point to that. They had gone deep underground and was still moving deeper to the point where sunlight no longer reached down here. The air started to feel stale and it got harder to breathe which was were Thorn decided to stop. They walked down a corridor and he stumbled from the lack of oxygen reaching his systems. He felt someone holding his shoulders and noticed Zephyr, helping him into a room which was completely pitch black. He wondered how the Knights were able to see when he couldn't even see the wall in front of him.

"Come Zephyr. We must make sure no one reaches him." Thorn ordered the younger Knight who followed her outside.

Mitaka rested his head back on the wall and tried to get some oxygen in his lungs but he was severely limited in doing so. At this rate, he was either going to die of oxygen or be rescued by the search party. He hoped it was the latter because he had no plans in dying alone in the middle of nowhere, deep underground where no one could hear him. He tried to slow down his breathing to conserve the oxygen before hearing the door open once again. He looked up to see Zephyr, entering rather hastily and tried to untie his bonds when the sound of a lightsaber being lit up echoed in the quiet room.

"I knew you had feelings for him." Thorn smirked, her lightsaber pointed at Zephyr's head.

Zephyr didn't say anything and Mitaka noted that she was now looking at him. A sense of fear coursed through him and he didn't know if it was the lack of oxygen or the force that caused it. He didn't even noticed Zephyr grabbing her lightsaber until she blocked the deadly swing from Thorn who had planned to end her life. A fight ensued and Mitaka knew that the oxygen was being burnt faster due to the lightsaber. He couldn't say anything though but Zephyr suddenly had an understanding of the current situation as she force pushed Thorn away from her and powered down her lightsaber.

"You have a choice, Zephyr." Thorn cackled. "It's either he dies or the both of you do."

Zephyr clenched her fist and gritted her teeth, _He will get out of here safely._

"He's already running out of oxygen. He won't make it." Thorn grinned and Zephyr only force push her.

Thorn grunted as she hit the wall and she looked up to see Zephyr landing a kick on her head, knocking her unconscious. Zephyr then rushed back to Mitaka who was slipping in and out of consciousness. She gently slapped his cheek to get him to focus but it wasn't working. She released a breath before taking a deep breath and took off her mask, setting it over the Lieutenant who had closed his eyes. It took a few seconds before Mitaka gasped at the sudden rush of oxygen and was immediately taken by surprise at how beautiful Zephyr looked.

Zephyr had a pale skin, dark green eyes and jet-black hair that reached her shoulders. She indeed looked seventeen and Mitaka saw a black line on her neck as well as the same crescent on her forehead just like the one on her mask. She gave a smile and he returned it before his eyes widened when red suddenly illuminated the room. He felt his jaw drop when Zephyr collapsed beside him and his view was replaced with Thorn who had removed her mask. She spat some blood to the side before looking at Mitaka, her sharp teeth stained red.

"Traitors die." She spat and Mitaka clenched his fists before grabbing Zephyr's lightsaber from the ground and ignited it. His bonds had been removed by Zephyr telepathically which allowed him to fight.

"Now this, is just sad." Thorn commented and Mitaka let out a battle cry before doing a vertical swing downwards.

Thorn blocked the strikes easily before holding Mitaka in a force choke, his feet dangling a few centimeters off the ground. He didn't let go of the lightsaber though and tried to hit her with it but she was out of his reach. A few minutes later, he was forced to drop the lightsaber to claw at the invisible hand choking him. Thorn smirked viciously before her eyes widened and she looked at the door in fear when Ren stood there, lightsaber in his hands. Thorn immediately dropped Mitaka to the ground to stand in a defensive position for the battle ahead.

Mitaka gasped for breath before moving towards Zephyr who was still conscious of everything around her. He rubbed her forehead with his right thumb while she smiled weakly before closing her eyes. Mitaka placed two fingers on her neck and was surprised to feel two faint pulse but he knew she was going to die if she stayed here. He looked at the injury Thorn gave her and nearly recoiled at the sight. Zephyr should be dead right now with how deep the cut actually is but she seemed to be doing just fine. He had to thank the force for that, he supposed.

"No don't!" Thorn whimpered and Mitaka looked in the direction of the fight to see Ren lifting his lightsaber.

"Give me a reason as to why I shouldn't."

"I was just following Tainen! He- He said he would give me more leisure than you ever did so I followed him!" She pleaded and Mitaka grimaced at how low the Ranth was being.

It was revolting and he was certain Ren felt the same. The First Knight glanced at the Lieutenant before he twirled his lightsaber and pointed it at her face.

"If I ever see you again, death will only be the beginning." Ren warned Thorn before lowering his lightsaber.

"You're letting me go?" Thorn asked.

"You're hereby banished from the Knights. Leave my sights before I change my mind." Ren hissed and the Ranth immediately scrambled away, running out the door.

Mitaka watched the Ranth leave before looking at Ren who crouched down beside him to check on Zephyr. Mitaka didn't know how to feel, knowing that the Knight had tried to kill him before. However, he didn't focus on that as Ren carried Zephyr bridal style.

"We need to get her back to the _Finalizer_." He said hastily and the Lieutenant knew the urgency in his voice so they started running.

 _Hang in there, Zephyr._ He thought. _Help is on the way._

In his mind, he saw the same ball of white light with angelic wings, slowly dimming in the darkness with the wings flapping painfully, trying to keep the ball of light afloat.

##

"Mart, we have a problem." Isla told the Lieutenant who looked at her.

"What is it?" He asked while going to the computer she was stationed at.

"We may have traitors in our midst. A record shows someone went into Hux's office to try and access some research plans." She said and Mart went into thought.

"We need to inform the General somehow."

"What about Lynx? I heard she's training the Black Hearts." Hoppins said and Mart snapped his fingers.

"Good idea. Send the link?"

"Already done so." Hoppins replied while Mart walked over to his computer.

"General Lynx, are you there?"

 _"~Yes, Mart. What is it?~"_ Lynx questioned.

"We have reason to believe that there is a spy on board the _Finalizer_. We are unsure who but this spy tried to access the plans through Hux's office." Mart told the other who hummed.

 _"~I'll look into it, Mart. Has Trihorn contacted you?~"_

"Not yet." Mart answered before there was a beep. "Actually, he is contacting us now."

He put Lynx's call on hold before answering Trihorn's who spoke first, _"~Mart, transfer two thousand credits to the jewelry store on Corellia.~"_

"Uhm, sir? How am I supposed to do that?" Mart queried, looking at the different computers on the bridge.

 _"~Vix's computer can do so. There should already be a record on this jewelry store. I always purchase my gems here.~"_

"Right away." Mart nodded before the link ended. "It seems that Trihorn just bought some jewelry."

 _"~Did he specify?~"_ Lynx asked.

"No, he didn't."

 _"~Very well. Keep tabs on High Command's offices and quarters, Lieutenant. No one should be entering said rooms.~"_

"Yes, sir." Mart nodded before the link ended.

He let out a sigh before looking at the _Finalizer's_ bridge to see the General, staring out of the viewport windows. He wondered what it was like, to care for someone but act like you actually don't and to have the person you care for think that you aren't concerned about him. He frowned at that thought and turned to look at the planet only to see two _Upsilon_ shuttles returning from their journey on the planet. He closed his eyes at the thought of returning to the fleet because he didn't want to feel the pressure.

The pressure of someone looking into your thoughts.

##

After contacting the _X-factor_ , Trihorn waited for Lando on the _Eaglet_. It wasn't a long wait because five minutes later, the older man showed up with a stack of paper in his hands. He tossed the papers onto the table which allowed Trihorn to skim through it while he put in the coordinates.

"Spices eh? I thought we ran out years ago." Trihorn said, tossing the papers behind him as he started up the engines.

"Heh, as long as we ask, it never runs out." Lando smirked and Trihorn let out a laugh.

"Yeah baby!" They flew out of Cloud City and into space before jumping into hyperspace.

On the way there, the two told stories to each other to pass the time. Lando told Trihorn of what he missed while the Admiral was in the black hole. Trihorn told Lando of what he found in the black hole as well as some plans that the Empire had before they were destroyed. Most of those plans didn't see the light of day but some of them did. They also conversed briefly about the First Order but didn't get far as they arrived at their destination.

"Myrkr? Did we put in the right coordinates?" Trihorn queried and Lando nodded.

"Yes, it is."

"But, isn't that the homeworld of Ysalamiris and Vornskrs?" Trihorn questioned before looking up only to be plunged into darkness.

##

 _Trouble._ Phasma felt it but didn't know what it was.

The fleet was finally on the move again with Mitaka, Zephyr and Ren safely on board. Zephyr was in critical condition and somehow lived with the severe injuries on her back. It was said that she wouldn't recover to her full potential which made Ren displeased. Mia knew it would be okay with the fact that Zephyr was strong in the force so physicality was not exactly needed.

A knock on the door caused her to stand up and answer it to see Lynx, "He's in trouble alright."

"Who? Trihorn?" Phasma queried and Lynx nodded, looking both ways down the hall before entering the room. "What's wrong?"

"There's a spy in our midst and it would not do good if they know of this." Lynx hissed. "I need you and Mia to go save the idiot."

"Just the two of us?" Phasma tilted her head slightly to the left and Lynx nodded.

"They are in the Resistance base on D'Qar. I doubt they know what you look like and they definitely don't know how Mia looks like. She hasn't shown her face once."

"What about the pictures?" Phasma asked and Lynx shrugged.

"Pictures or not, Mia has changed. Rey and Finn has seen me during our time on Mandalore. Admiral Ackbar has not seen Mia and he is still trapped in the cells. I still wonder what Hux has planned for him but without an Admiral, the Resistance is in a bit of turmoil. For us, we have Hux to control the fleet but we need our brother to be safely out of the Resistance base when we do attack." Lynx explained before seeing Mia enter the room.

"Did you feel it?" She asked.

"Yes, go save him with Phasma." Lynx nodded while Mia tilted her head.

"What about Ren? Will he not strike out if I do?" Mia asked and Lynx opened her mouth before closing it immediately in thought.

"I hate my life." She hissed, grabbing Mia's hand and they left the room.

Phasma decided to follow them seeing as she had nothing else to do. They arrived at the meeting room where Lynx decided to contact Ren and Hux with her communicator. The two men arrived five minutes later, Hux looking slightly bruised but Lynx didn't seem to notice or didn't care about it.

"Alright, Trihorn got himself in trouble. Mia and Phasma are going to save him so Hux, we need to hold back Ren before he starts sending us crashing into a planet." Lynx said and Hux glanced at the Knight.

"Why can't Ren follow them instead, thus we don't have to go through this whole ordeal." Hux suggested and Lynx opened her mouth to say something but he cut her off, "He could be there as back up. In case things go south."

Lynx closed her mouth and thought about it before nodding. "Not a bad idea actually."

Hux then looked at the other three. "We will jump out of hyperspace soon to make a stop at a nearby planet for resources. You have two days before we start moving again to rendezvous with the fleet."

"Yes, sir." Phasma nodded before leaving the room with Ren and Mia in tow.

They decided not to waste time and headed to the hangar where they started to wait for Hux's signal to leave.

~~Meanwhile~~

"Hux, we have a spy in our midst." She stated and he frowned.

"Explain."

"Mart found someone trying to access higher research plans through your computer in your office." Lynx said, pointing at Hux who scoffed.

"Who would do that?" He sneered, slightly furious at the accusation.

"You tell me." Lynx scowled before they started walking out of the room. "I've got a feeling the spy is someone from the Resistance. It's the only logical explanation."

"So, we are not to enter any of our rooms from now on?" Hux queried and Lynx nodded.

"Until this spy is found, our rooms are out of bounds."

"Very well." Hux nodded and stood at his spot on the bridge while looking out of the viewport. "Exit hyperspace and inform the shuttle that it can take off."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

A.N. At this point, I feel like I have no excuse for the abrupt ending to some plots but I just don't have any ideas to expand on for those stories so... Apologies.


	20. Chapter 19

Trihorn let out a grunt while he opened his eyes to see jail cell doors right in front of him. He scowled because this was the first ever time he got captured by the Resistance. He had never been captured before by the Rebels, only by crime syndicates and planets who had a history with him. In front of the cell door was Lando and standing beside him was General Leia Organa who was still looking young despite being old.

"You are the Grand Admiral who disappeared in a black hole, right?" Organa asked and Trihorn decided to take out the _'play hard to get'_ card.

"Is it me? No, I think you're talking of a different handsome devil." He smirked when she glared at him.

"Where is Admiral Ackbar?"

"Swimming with the fishes." Trihorn yawned and Lando let out a laugh.

"Lando!" Leia scolded but the man only pointed at Trihorn.

"You've got to admit, that was quite funny." Lando said while Leia frowned before letting out a sigh and looked back at Trihorn.

"Answers like that will do you no good if you are to stay imprisoned." She crossed her arms over her chest and Trihorn only grinned, switching to his serious Grand Admiral persona.

"I'm afraid that being trapped in here makes my Smuggler personality more… Restless. I have a record of escaping these types of cells. Usually with the captor gaining nothing." Trihorn said and Lando nodded in agreement.

"He's got that right."

"Lando, if you're not going to help, please leave." Leia sighed and the older man just raised both of his hands up in defense.

"I'm sorry, Princess but I am here to help. Trihorn, where is the Admiral?" Lando questioned and Trihorn frowned.

"Whose side are you on?"

"Neither." Lando shrugged. "I'm curious as to where you've taken the Admiral."

Trihorn glanced at Leia before looking back at Lando, his mind wanting very much to answer his smuggler friend but he forced himself not to. The logical reasoning behind this though was killing him. On one hand, he wanted to tell him because Lando was of neutral party so informing him would do no harm. On the other hand, Trihorn knew Lando would tell the Resistance where Admiral Ackbar is and there would be a little bit of a trust issue there.

Then again, where's the harm in telling?

"He's on the _Finalizer_." Trihorn said casually, looking back at General Organa who looked slightly surprised. "He's wasting his time in his cell, waiting for someone to save him."

"Isn't Rey, Poe and Finn already on the vessel?" Lando asked Leia who glared at him while Trihorn's eyes widened slightly.

"Spies eh? That's the second time." He hissed. "You're the first person to repeat the same tactic twice."

"And it's working. They've told us that you plan to rendezvous with the rest of the fleet." Leia narrowed her eyes at Trihorn whose smirked returned to his face.

"It's not like they can stop us either. We will meet up with the rest soon and it will only be a matter of time before we attack." He said then turned around. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need my beauty rest."

"I'm not done yet. How many vessels are in your fleet?"

"Even if I do know the answer, I wouldn't tell you." Trihorn replied, plopping his form on the bed and let out a sigh.

"Where is the rest of your fleet?" Leia narrowed her eyes at Trihorn who did a lazy gesture to dismiss them.

"I'm out of commission. Come back tomorrow once I recharge." He yawned, turning his back on the other two and fell asleep instantly.

##

 _"~We're entering the shuttle now.~"_

"Inform us once you take off." Hux said, looking at Lynx who had started staring out the window.

She was deep in thought so he decided not to disturb her and instead, looked at the planet in front of them. It was green in color, full of forestry and civilization thrived here. There were no governments so it was a relatively safe place for them to make a pit stop and restock on food. He turned around when the sound of heavy footsteps approached them and he was quite surprised to find Tainen, walking up to them.

"Tainen? How did you escape your cell?" Hux asked, glancing at Lynx who had turned on her heel to face the Second Knight.

 _"~We've entered hyperspace, sir.~"_ Phasma said over the comms before the link cut.

"That's the secret now, isn't it?" Tainen replied, twirling his lightsaber within his fingers.

Lynx stepped forward, changing her blaster and split it into two parts before activating her lightsaber and then her scythe. Hux would have been amazed at how quickly she did it had it not been for the fact that Tainen immediately charged, starting the lightsaber duel. She blocked it in time and Hux tried to move away when Tainen moved to strike him. He jumped back behind Lynx who was doing an actually good job at fighting off the Knight.

He realized that Tainen was trying to get them into a corner so he dived forward followed by a roll to get behind the Knight. Tainen let out a hiss behind his mask before he held Lynx up using the force and threw her on Hux. Since Hux had been on one knee, he was unable to dodge in time – other than the fact that he also wanted to catch her – so he fell on his back with Lynx on top of him. He felt pain, not only from him but also from Lynx which caused him to grunt.

This contact was a blessing and a curse from the force itself.

Lynx growled from the pain, he assumed, and felt a wave of ferocity rush through him. On instinct, he pushed it back but then he decided to let it all go and glared at Tainen, channeling all the pain and anger towards the Knight. The Knight started to slowly approach them but he didn't get far because Lynx pounced and kept striking, left to right. Tainen blocked them before one of the strikes hit his arm and he growled, changing from defensive to offensive. Lynx stayed on the offensive though and did a horizontal swing with the lightsaber but Tainen saw it coming.

He blocked the attack and back handed her causing her to stumble back. The Knight didn't end there though as he twirled his lightsaber and went for a stab but Lynx batted it away with her scythe. She used the hilt off her lightsaber to hit Tainen on the cheek before jumping back and hissed, baring her sharp teeth. Hux looked at Tainen who only looked outside the viewport. Curious, he followed the Knight's gaze to see the _Finalizer_ , moving towards the planet as all of the officers had ran out of the bridge.

Anger rose up inside him but it turned into surprise when wind blew past him and he looked behind to see Lynx, crumpled on the ground. The only injury he could see was the fact that her left hand was missing but other than that, she was actually still clean. When he looked back forward, excruciating pain racked up in his torso as Tainen stabbed him in the stomach. Technically, it would be his diaphragm since it was right in the middle of his torso.

Hux could feel sweat on his forehead but since the air of the _Finalizer_ was pretty chill, he also felt cool at the same time. Tainen deactivated his lightsaber and let go of Hux's shoulder which he had used to keep him steady. Hux fell on his knees while Tainen walked away, uttering not a single word. When the door closed, Hux fell on his side, his hand covering the hole in his torso. He looked out the viewport to see the planet looming ever closer but the fact that they weren't moving at full speed surprised him.

It would have made him smile but the thought of darkness only left him terrified.

##

 _Another game of Sabacc._ Isla let out a hiss at the boys playing the one game that was available on the _X-factor_.

It was getting very much annoying to her because there were other things to do than playing just one single kriffing game. For example, learning the vessel. While the boys were busy playing around, she found out that there were spare parts in one of the lower sectors of the _X-factor_. There were also reports of weapons that had yet to be installed and Isla wondered how the hell did the Grand Admiral managed to procure such potent weapons. However, that thought was pushed aside when she noticed the _Finalizer_ was moving. It was not in a good way either because it was on a crash course with the planet!

"Mart!" Isla yelled at the Lieutenant who looked up from his game.

"What?" He asked before looking down at the cards. "Are you kidding me Hoppins?! That's five in a row!"

"I know, right?!" Hoppins laughed, grabbing the credits which had slowly risen in numbers.

"The _Finalizer_! She's going to crash into the planet!" Isla was panicking because some of her colleagues were on that vessel and Mart immediately stood up when he noticed the current predicament.

"Stations now!" He ordered then looked at the _Finalizer_ in thought but worry was also written on his face. "What do we do?!"

Isla looked at her computer, doing a quick scan of everything before her mind clicked. "The _X-factor_ has tractor beams!"

"What? Oh!" Mart snapped his fingers in realization. "The Grand Admiral really did think of everything. Whose computer?"

"Mine." Vix called, pushing some buttons. "Shall I fire?"

"Of course!" Mart said and Isla wanted to facepalm but didn't due to her worry.

The _X-factor_ shook and Isla noted that the _Finalizer_ was actually pulling them. Even though the _X-factor_ was on full reverse, the other vessel was just too large and heavy for them. Mart hissed before looking at her since she was currently on his station which was the rail guns. She quickly moved away allowing Mart to activated said rail guns.

"What are you doing?!" She questioned when the rail guns were ready for use.

"Powering the vessel down before we go down with them." Mart replied, putting the rail gun to half power and fired.

The same net was created and the _Finalizer_ shook before it started drifting. They felt the _X-factor_ , moving backwards and Isla sighed in relief when the _Finalizer_ moved backwards as well. Then, they looked at Hoppins who tried to contact Hux or Lynx but the two wouldn't answer. Mart told him to contact Mitaka and the other Lieutenant answered the call. Isla was even more surprised when a shuttle passed by the viewport and in that shuttle, she saw two Knights.

 _"~Mart, did you just use the rail gun on us?~"_ Mitaka questioned with slight worry and anger edged on his tone.

"Yes, but I had to because the _Finalizer_ was on a collision course with the planet."

 _"~WHAT?!~"_ Everyone winced at the tone because it was amplified by the emptiness of the whole vessel.

"You mind? The _X-factor_ isn't as crowded as the _Finalizer_." Mart scowled, digging his ear with his pinkie. "Otherwise, yes it did. We tried to contact General Hux or Lynx but they weren't answering our calls."

 _"~Do you know what happened?~"_

"No…" Mart said then looked at Isla who narrowed her eyes.

"I just saw a shuttle pass by and saw two Knights in them. I thought you only captured one?"

 _"~We did… Blast! Thorn came back and freed Tainen. She must be the spy!~"_

"I doubt that." Mart frowned, glancing at the others who looked at him. "Thorn wouldn't have any use for research plans."

"So, we still have Resistance fighters roaming around." Vix sighed, running a hand through his short hair.

 _"~We can't do anything about them with all of our superiors out of commission or busy.~"_ Mitaka said.

"I think there's a plan in motion. One that we're not privy to." Mart stated.

"What kind of plan would that be?" Jomes queried. "All I'm seeing is one attack after the other."

"I've got a feeling that it's coming, at a very slow pace."

~~1 day later~~

The shuttle that Mia, Phasma and Ren took landed at D'qar, the Resistance base. Mia noted that most of them looked like they were panicking up or preparing for a battle which caused her to roll her eyes. Trihorn liked to make his enemies prepared and sometimes, it leads to a good battle. Other times, it leads to their enemies escaping their grasps and Lynx would be furious at him for doing so. It seems that the second might be the case with the Resistance because compared to the First Order, they were smaller and less deadly.

"Welcome, Mistress…?" Lieutenant Lars looked at them questioningly.

"Sakomi." Mia supplied before pointing at Phasma who was out of her armor. "This is Miss June and that's her brother, Mr Doss."

Lars looked at Ren who wore a different set of clothing. There was a mask on his face to cover a part of his face but otherwise his eyes were visible and his hair was cut short. He looked terrifying still which caused Lars to ignore asking why Ren needed the mask. Ren also had looked at Mia with one raised eyebrow when she gave him that name.

 _Seriously? Mr Doss?_ He asked and Mia gave him a shrug through the force.

 _You didn't give me one and I ran out of names._ She replied. _Just be thankful he didn't question it._

"Right this way, please." Lars guided them to a guest room and allowed them to be comfortable before saying, "General Organa will be with you shortly."

When the door closed, Mia got to work on the computer while Ren and Phasma looked for a vent that they could fit in. They had to be quick because they had no idea when Leia was coming. The Lieutenant didn't really give them a specific timing so it was a race against time. Two minutes later, Mia found what she was looking for and Ren found the vent so she crawled through it. Ren and Phasma decided to leave the room and wander the base. They had to be careful though because anyone who was close to the General, knew how Ren looked like by looking at his eyes.

 _Mia, have you found it yet?_ Ren questioned.

 _Still crawling._ Mia replied before adding a second later, _Oh, I found it._

 _Meet you at the prison entrance?_

 _I'll be there._

Ren looked at Phasma who received the silent message as they started taking the separate hallway that had less people. When they reached the entrance of the prison, Mia exited the vents at the same time so they helped her up. Ren took off his mask since there was no need for it now. There wouldn't be anyone doing rounds around here and he can just use the mind trick to put any suspicions away.

"Where is he?" Phasma queried and Mia looked at the map she had printed out.

"He should be at the far-left quadrant."

##

Trihorn whistled in a random beat while throwing a ball he had created using glue and the insides of the pillow, into the air and catching it over and over again. The guards who passed by would keep reminding him to stop it so he did but once they passed, he repeated the fidgety process. He had to keep himself busy or else he would be in even more danger than he was now. Back when he was still a smuggler, a young boy, he had a love to get into trouble. It didn't matter what, be it stealing from a crime lord or taunting an ugly ass Hutt, he would just do it.

"Here!" And today was his lucky day.

Standing outside his cell was Phasma in Rebel clothing. Trihorn would have preferred her in a uniform but Rebel clothes still made her look beautiful. Mia and Ren stood behind her but she moved away to allow Mia to punch in the codes she had probably stolen earlier on. The first thing he did was pull Mia into a hug before landing a kiss on Phasma's lips and then nodded at Ren. Alarms started blaring in the base as the Resistance finally noticed that the trio were not in the guest room so the four of them started running out of the prison. They ran into some Resistance fighters but Mia and Ren would knock them unconscious using the force or Trihorn and Phasma would land one punch on their heads and knock them out.

"We need to escape quickly." Trihorn said when they stopped at the exit.

"The shuttle!" Mia yelled, pointing towards said shuttle that they entered in.

"Stop them!" One of the Resistance fighters yelled so the escapees started running towards the shuttle, dodging the squad that had decided to show up.

The Resistance started firing at them and one shot pierced Phasma on her left shoulder which caused her to fall face first on the ramp she had been running upwards. Trihorn yelled her name which was surprisingly louder than the combined noise of alarms blaring and blaster bolts. Mia and Ren activated their lightsabers and started deflecting the shots from the resistance fighters while Trihorn helped Phasma enter the shuttle.

"Phasma, stay with me!" Trihorn said while forcefully tearing her clothes to see the scorch mark that was right above her heart.

"Tri…" Phasma muttered, her eyes slowly fluttering shut.

"No! Stay awake please!" Trihorn pleaded, trying to put a bacta patch over the wound and succeeded in doing so.

He had plugged in some medical devices to check her heart rate and despite it being low, it was at least steady which was something he could work with. He only wished Lynx was here because she had the choice of being a doctor once but chose to be militaristic instead. Trihorn didn't know much about medical appliances, only the basics which were required in the Empire's training regime. Right now, he could only depend on time and the strength of Phasma's will to pull her through.

He put his forehead on hers and whispered, "Be strong as a dragon."

##

"Contain her!" Muffled voices reached his hearing but he couldn't tell who it belonged to.

Hux tried to open his eyes and succeeded only to find it very blurry. It was no surprise though because he was in a bacta tank. The pain in his torso made itself known when he tried to move and he couldn't even let out a hiss. He could only clench his eyes shut and grit his teeth while waiting for it to pass. More muffled sounds and voices reached his ears causing him to open both of his eyes again to see a blurry form of a girl, running into the room.

She stood still for a minute, typing something into the computer before Hux could feel the water draining. His breathing quickened as the pain intensified and he started to panic because he was not fully healed yet. Whoever this was either planning to kill him or he was missing something. His feet touched the ground before he basically curled up on the cold metal when the water was completely drained and he was slightly naked in the cold.

The door to the tank opened and someone put their hand on him. He took a look to find that it was Lynx and she had a worried look. He felt comfort through the contact along with pain on his left hand but the pain was not as strong. He looked at Lynx's left hand to find that it had been replaced with a metallic one although the residue of it being cut was still being felt by her. He gritted his teeth when Lynx helped him stand up and he saw Mitaka with a few stormtroopers rushing into the room.

"Sir!" Mitaka looked at Hux surprisedly before looking at Lynx. "He has to go back into the bacta tank!"

"I know what I'm doing." Lynx hissed, glancing at the troopers before taking slow steps forward, Hux following in her steps. "If you don't mind getting a uniform for the General, that would be nice."

"Sir, the General just had severe shock and is suffering a lightsaber injury! He has to go back into the tank!" Mitaka said stubbornly and Lynx let Hux sit down on the wall to her left as some feeling of irritation slipped through the contact.

"Must I repeat myself, Lieutenant?" Lynx growled, her red eye glowing in the room, reminding Hux of Thrawn. "Troopers, leave us this instant and Mitaka, you will assist me or you will find yourself at my mercy for annoying me!"

"S- Sir…" Mitaka was taken back at Lynx's outburst but she wasn't finished.

"I know you care about him. I know he cares about you but if you do not do as I say, there will be no one for you to worry about and no one will worry about you. Therefore, go to the General's quarters and grab a set of his uniform." She finished and Mitaka gulped before giving a determined nod.

"Yes, sir." He turned around and ran out the door before Lynx turned her attention to Hux who was shivering.

She took off her chest piece before taking out her uniform, showing that she wore a black long-sleeved t-shirt on the inside. Hux held the jacket she had put on him tighter and his shivering became less frequent although he was still very cold. He felt her pulling him closer and he put his forehead on her chest. She held him close and rubbed the back of his head in a comforting manner which helped him numb the pain racking through his whole body. After a while, he felt her push him away from her chest only to put her forehead on his. He looked into her eyes before closing them in total relaxation.

"The Firebird is calling."

##

"Ben!" Leia shouted, running forward, which caused the firing squad to hold.

Ren felt his breath hitch at the sight of his mother. He didn't deactivate his lightsaber, nor did he lower it down because he had no idea how to move forward with this interaction. He felt Mia, holding his hand in hers in a reassuring way and it didn't go unnoticed to Leia. She stopped and a few meters away, eyes locked at Ren who didn't look away as well.

 _Don't deny the light._ Mia let go of Ren and took a step back, allowing Leia to walk forward again.

Ren wanted to reach for Mia's hand again, to receive that confidence boost but stopped himself. He thought about turning around but it was too late as Leia placed her right hand on his cheek, using her thumb wipe a tear that had fallen. He felt weak, much weaker than the time he had killed his father.

"Come back." Leia whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. "I miss you."

 _Tell her the truth._

"I can't, mother." Ren muttered, using his free hand to hold Leia's and gently push it down. "It's too late for me."

"It's never too late, Ben. You can always come back." Leia pleaded but Ren shook his head and took a step back, going side by side with Mia.

This was it. In all honesty, Ren had never thought that he would ever see his mother again even after what he did to Han. He thought that she would be angry and disappointed with him but that wasn't the case. He just wished that he had more time to think on this and at a much better place.

"You once told me that love is a feeling that cannot be broken." Ren held Mia's hand in his and looked into her eyes when she turned to face him. "I love her."

"There's no stopping you then." Leia said, closing her eyes before looking the other way. "Go."

Ren looked at Leia before following Mia into the shuttle where they proceeded to take off. He released a sigh when all of the stress was lifted from his shoulders. He was in the pilot seat, seeing as Trihorn was tending to Phasma at the back. He looked at Mia who smiled at him before she turned her chair to face him. He did the same and rested both of his hands on his knees while slouching forward.

"You did it." She smiled and Ren gave a nod.

"All thanks to you." He muttered.

"The others are waiting." She said, putting her forehead on his. "It is time."


	21. Chapter 20

Phasma opened both of her eyes when she felt herself floating. Looking at the sky, she found herself in a desert, the foggy shape of a mountain in front of her. She tilted her head slightly before remembering the fact that she had been shot on the shoulder. She went to check on the wound but found no mark of a blaster bolt hitting its target. That confused her even more, especially since she was wearing her armor instead of the resistance clothing.

She jumped back when small birds flew towards the sky and the ground shook beneath her. Instinctively, she reached for her blaster but her weapon wasn't there either. A roar caused her to turn around and see a Krayt dragon, not too far from her. The dragon was brown in color with a yellowish-white underbelly and its head was riddled with horns, some looking devastatingly terrifying. The dragon narrowed its yellow eyes at her and she immediately started running the opposite direction, to the mountains.

She heard the dragon coming after her and started wondering where Trihorn was. She started wishing that the Admiral would be an ex machina and save her from this dragon. However, she slid to a stop when a feline pounced on her, knocking her back into the sand. She let out a hiss when the back of her head hit her helmet then let out a cry at the scratch mark the feline gave. It didn't penetrate her armor though which she was thankful for.

She noticed that the feline was a Corellian Sand Panther which made her question where she actually was in the galaxy. The Krayt dragon from before roared and attacked the Sand Panther, allowing Phasma to stand back up and run. Although, she didn't get far as she fell back onto the sand, the Panther having returned with a vengeance and the Krayt Dragon had run away. She waited for the inevitable when the Panther bit her helmet, a soft wheeze was heard from the crushing force of its jaws.

 _Stay as strong as a dragon._ She reopened both her eyes at Trihorn's voice and looked forward to see a different winged Dragon, twice as large as the Canyon Krayt Dragon.

It let out an ear-piercing roar while the Panther hissed back. It hopped off of Phasma though, scattering away when the dragon started dashing towards them and Phasma wanted to run with the Panther but something told her that it was safe. She sat still and didn't dare move when the dragon curled its long tail around her in an almost protective manner. The dragon was white in color with certain light blue twirls along its wings and neck. Its electric blue eyes reminded her to Trihorn and she was quite surprised when it let out a purr.

She reached her right hand out, to touch the dragon's snout and at first, it moved away, letting out a hiss. A second later, it made contact and rubbed its head on her hand, giving content purrs. Then, it moved and rested on its belly, telling Phasma to get on its back which she did. The dragon then stretched its wings and let out a roar before taking off towards the mountains. Phasma started to believe that this dragon was an Arkanian Dragon which was thought to be extinct a long time ago.

As they flew higher, Phasma noticed that wherever she was, had different climates all centered around the mountain in a triangle formation. After leaving the desert, it was a snowy biome where she could see several creatures roaming. To the North-East of the mountain was a forest followed by a grassland or plains. To the North-West of the mountain was a river that had a town built around it followed by a vast ocean, a strip of the ocean looked like a swamp but it was hard to tell from up in the sky.

The dragon landed in a cave in the mountain and it allowed Phasma to hop off. She did so and took a look around, taking in all the details that she could get before looking at the dragon. It tilted its head at her and Phasma realized that she needed to light source so she grabbed a nearby stick and held it out towards the dragon. A rumble was heard before the dragon breathed fire at the stick, lighting it up nice and bright.

Phasma then turned around and started walking deeper into the cave, the dragon following behind her.

##

 _Where am I?_ Hux narrowed his eyes at the town in front of him before scanning the ocean behind him.

This place was odd and it wasn't like anywhere he had ever been. Being a dictator, Hux had been to every planet and none of them were like this. He looked up at the mountain when an impulse told him to go there and felt his lips curl into a frown at the thought of climbing. He still wondered where his fatal injury went and why he was here in the first place but that didn't matter when he saw something scurry in the town.

The thought of getting eaten alive alone in an abandoned town crossed his mind but he pushed it away and started making his way towards the mountain. He had to have a sense of what's going on so being elevated will help his current predicament. He stopped in front of an alley when the something rustled within a trash can in front of him. He narrowed his eyes and reached for his blaster before realizing that he didn't have one on him.

He looked around for a weapon but let out a surprised yelp instead when the creature in the trash cans leapt out. He let out a sigh when he noticed that it was just a Tooka, a certain species of feline cats. He narrowed his eyes at the color combination of the cat which was red and black in color, similar to Lynx's Mandalorian armor. He looked at its eyes but couldn't see the same scar mark that Lynx has so he shook that thought away.

Besides, it didn't make any sense.

The cat gave a meow before it started running forward, towards the mountains. Hux thought about going the other way but at the sight of a larger creature, whizzing past, he decided to follow the cat. The cat seemed to stop every once in a while, to see if Hux was following and he was slightly grateful for that because it was moving at a fast pace. A few minutes later, the cat let out a meow and Hux noted that it had led him to a cave that led deeper into the mountains. The cat then gave a hiss before running away so he turned around to find a bird, perched on one of the nearby poles.

The bird was made out of fire as its movement portray a fire licking the air.

The Firebird, - he remembered Lynx had muttered something about it before he fell unconscious – tilted its head before it opened its beak and sang… The song was similar to the one he had heard as a child and the one Lynx had sung to her father's grave. Hux tilted his head in confusion because he thought the song didn't have any lyrics to it. However, he couldn't think about it as he had to move away when the Firebird stretched its wings and flew into the cave, lighting up the walls as it goes. Hux thought about it before deciding to throw caution out the window and follow the bird.

##

Ren cautiously trekked through the unknown forest and headed towards the mountain. The last thing he remembered was Mia touching her forehead on his before he found himself in between a grassy plain and a forest. He had seen some creatures in the plains but ignored them and moved towards the one thing beckoning for him to come. This place was powerful in the force but the pinnacle was within the mountain.

The many presences in the forest however, made it difficult for him to stay on track.

For the fifth time in the hour, he found himself passing by the same tree he had marked for the first time and it was getting infuriating. It didn't help that he could feel something tracking him and he knew that it was only a matter of time before they caught up… Actually, they already did. Stalking behind several tree lines was a pack of Vornskrs, their yellow eyes glowing brightly in the dark forest. Ren ignited his lightsaber, thankful that he had it as the creatures started charging, snarling and growling as they attacked.

He dodged and struck down several Vornskrs before one of them managed to pin him to a tree, trying to bite his helmet while its tail was stuck on the tree itself. Force pushing didn't affect these creatures at all and he looked around for a way out when a different feline tackled the Vornskr off of him. Ren nearly hit the Vornskr's poisonous tail but managed to balance himself to see a pack of feline, the Redcrested Cougar, attacking the pack of Vornskrs. Roars and growls echoed as the fight went on before the Vornskrs were forced to flee as their numbers dwindled.

The alpha of the feline pack had a bright red crest which was slightly bigger than the rest of the pack. It was hard to tell the difference but Ren knew because the force told him so. The alpha sniffed Ren before it let out a growl and started walking in a direction. The rest of the pack followed and a smaller Cougar gently pushed Ren in the direction the pack was heading. Ren decided to follow, seeing as he was lost and the pack was probably helping him.

They arrived at a cave close to the mountain but not actually so. The rest of the pack rested outside while the Alpha went in leaving Ren to wonder whether he should follow. The little cougar nudged him gently again, prompting him to move forward and he did follow the Alpha, deeper into the cave. He activated his lightsaber when he could no longer see two feet in front of him to find himself in a large cavern. A light in front of him caused him to stand at the ready for an attack only to find Phasma appearing with a torch in her hand and a white and light blue dragon behind her.

"Phasma?" Ren queried. "I thought-"

"That I was dying? I thought so too but this place… It's weird." She replied before they heard singing echoing in the dark cave.

Ren had to look away when a blinding light lit up the room before it slowly dimmed. He deactivated his lightsaber when he noticed that it was a Firebird, perched on top of a rock and standing beside the Firebird was Hux, his red hair somewhat brighter with the light the bird was giving off. Phasma put away the torch and Ren kept his lightsaber when he noticed that there was a symbol in the middle of the room.

"What is this?" Hux questioned and the Firebird opened its beak once again.

 _"We represent the bonds you've created. This is the final step to complete the deal."_ The bird said, its voice flowing with confidence.

"What deal? I don't remember making one." Phasma questioned and the Dragon nudged her.

 **"When you followed the Grand Admiral after he protected you, it was the beginning. A trust that could not be broken no matter what he said."** It said and Ren could feel the Captain being conflicted.

"So, the deal is trust?" Ren asked, looking at the Cougar who was seated on its hind legs beside him.

"Marginally so. There are more factors but…" The Cougar leapt onto table, taking a sit. "This is basically it."

"But, I thought I already sealed the deal…" Hux muttered as he remembered the time on Mandalore.

 _"That deal was with Lynx. This is a deal with the force."_ The Firebird perched on the edge of the table. _"The bond with the ones you love."_

 **"Once you complete it, there is no turning back."** The Dragon added, standing beside Phasma who was now standing in front of the table. **"We will be freed from our curse and are free to roam our planets."**

"Be warned however." The Cougar hissed, wrapping its tail around Ren's waist. "Anything that happens to us will be reflected in your bond. Therefore, you must keep watch of us."

"Alright…" Hux looked at Ren and Phasma before looking at the table, "How do we complete it?"

 _"The song that you know. Sing it."_ The Firebird said then raised its head, beak opened.

"I don't know the lyrics." Hux muttered but he was also embarrassed to sing it in front of Ren and Phasma.

 **"They will have to sing it as well. Do not be afraid, General."** The Dragon assured and Hux gulped before closing his eyes.

( **Phasma** \- Bold

 _Hux_ \- Italics

Ren \- Underline)

 _"All our times have come, h_ _ere but now they're gone."_ Ren looked at Phasma as she took over.

 **"Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun or the rain,** _(we can be like they are)_

 **Come on baby,** _(don't fear the reaper)_

 **Baby take my hand,** _(don't fear the reaper)_

 **We'll be able to fly,** _(don't fear the reaper)_

 **Baby I'm your man.**

 **Laa, la laa~, la laa...**

 **Laa, la laa~, la laa."** Ren took a step back when a symbol glowed on the table and howls were heard outside, echoing into the cave.

He was almost certain that the other creatures were trying to break in or something was going on out there, like it was a riot. He didn't focus on that though when the Firebird shined brighter for a second before going dimmer. Whatever that was going on, it was almost complete.

"Ren, your turn." Hux said and Ren released a breath, a strange feeling entering his heart.

"All our times have come, here but now they're gone. 

Seasons don't fear the reaper, nor do the wind, the sun or the rain _(we can be like they are)_

Come on baby, _(don't fear the reaper)_

Don't fear the reaper, _(don't fear the reaper)_

Don't fear the reaper, _(baby I'm your man.)"_ They finished, the symbol pulsing in a rhythmic heart beat.

 _"Laa, la laa~, la laa."_ The Firebird sang while flapping its wings, glowing brighter.

 _"Laa, la laa~, la laa."_ Ren looked away and closed his eyes when a blinding white light filled the dark room.

The last thing he saw in the light was the same symbol of a Trinity.

##

"Clan mother, the beast has awoken." Jun Vain informed Numri who stood in front of the sacred caves.

"Release it." Numri ordered and watched Vain give a salute before he entered the caves.

Numri gave a smile when she saw a bright fire, moving towards her before said fire flapped its wings and pushed itself into the sky. It then started to sing in while gliding around in the bright sky, joy filling up everyone's hearts at the sight of the Firebird, free to roam. Numri looked back inside the cave when a loud roar was heard before a giant beast ran out, four times the height of an average human. Numri watched the Mythosaur, a legend of Mandalore, follow the Firebird out into the plains and disappear from their view. The Mythosaur would protect the Firebird until its time comes and she closed her eyes, hoping it doesn't.

##

A loud roar in the distance caused Thrawn and Eli to look in that direction, pausing in their work. They noticed a large beast flying into the sky and after staring at it for a few more minutes, they concluded it was a dragon. It was odd because never once had they seen a dragon on Csilla much less was it recorded in any way shape or form.

"Should we inform the Ascendancy?" Eli asked but Thrawn shook his head.

"No, they will only want to hunt the beast and capture it. If it has survived this long alone, we should not disturb it." Thrawn replied.

"As long as it doesn't disturb us." Eli muttered, returning to his work.

"I doubt so for I believe it is much smarter than it is perceived to be."

##

"Ay boss, what's that in the forest?" A Weequay asked, pointing at said creature in the forest.

"That, my friend, is nothing. Get back to work!" The other Weequay yelled, shoving his subordinate into the building before he looked out into the forest to spot the creature.

The Couger looked at the Weequay before it started running away, deeper into the forest. The Weequay put both of his hands together and rubbed it as a thought crossed his mind. The cougar would make a great pet if he could tame it and that was a chance he was willing to take.

"Boys! Looks like we are going hunting tonight!"

* * *

A.N. A little bit of an inside look to the sequel. ;)


	22. Chapter 21, End

Mitaka ran after grabbing Hux's uniform and returned to the room only to take a step back in surprise. He had never seen the General in such a weak position before, it was a revelation to him at how… Exposed he could be. However, when he looked at Lynx, she had a disappointed look on her face before she glanced beside him. Curious, he took a look only to realize that he had been standing at the doorway, holding the door wide open. He sheepishly stepped inside and was thankful that no one passed by to see the General at his weak state.

It definitely would not reflect well.

"Sorry sir." Mitaka apologized, giving Lynx the General's set of clothing which she took.

"Do not worry." She smiled softly while Mitaka was about to leave the room when she stopped him. "Don't go just yet. I need a word with you."

An alarm rang in his head at the danger that was probable, "Of course."

"I'm not scolding you for earlier on, Mitaka. This has something to do with the spies." Lynx said sternly and he felt himself stand at attention about the spies. "Has there been any leads since the attack?"

"No, sir. We believe the Spies are disguised within the Stormtrooper corps due to the fact that they wouldn't dare show their faces and FN-2187 would know how to lead them." He said, looking away when Lynx told him to.

She was helping the General get dressed after all.

"That would make them too predictable." Lynx frowned and Mitaka hummed in agreement. "If they were to repeat the same tactic twice, they would be something else."

"Like what, sir?"

"Maybe sanitation. Have you checked them yet?" She queried.

"No, sir. I will do so right away." Mitaka was about to walk out again only this time, he was stopped when Lynx put a hand on his shoulder.

"That will have to wait until the General recovers." She gave him a smile with one raised eyebrow before looking at Hux who was fully dressed. "I need you to help me bring him to his quarters."

"Uhm, of course." Mitaka nodded, feeling flushed.

"Do not be shy, Lieutenant. There's no one roaming these halls at this time of hour." Lynx smirked, wrapping an arm around Hux and Mitaka did the same on the other side.

"How would you know that sir? There are patrols." Mitaka gulped, looking down both ways when they stepped out of the door.

"When you've studied troopers and officers alike, you start to see a pattern." Lynx smiled before changing the subject. "On a side note, how's that Knight of yours doing?"

Mitaka took a minute to process the question before saying, "Zephyr? She's doing okay…"

"You care for her. May I ask why?" She questioned and Mitaka was taken back slightly at how forceful she sounded.

He opened his mouth to answer then quickly shut it back tight. Truth be told, he hadn't thought of the question. Why did he care for her when she had attacked him? Then again, she hadn't. She had the chance though when they were on the bridge. She had the chance to end his pitiful life a few times over but she hadn't. Was it really because he was the General's favorite or was there a different element in play here?

"It was all a misunderstanding." He said, looking back at Lynx who had been waiting for an answer. "She wasn't sent to kill me, only to spy on Tainen and Thorn. When they did capture me, she defended me and kept me alive while Tainen ignored me and Thorn…"

He let out an involuntary shiver which did not go unnoticed by Lynx as she said, "Let me guess, Thorn wanted to… 'play' with you."

"Y- Yes." Mitaka replied, letting out a sigh. "She's different though. Her voice is angelic. Her laugh amazing. Her smile…"

"Mhm." Lynx grinned and Mitaka realized that he had been staring at the ceiling dreamily causing him to clear his throat and look away. "I see someone is in love."

"Like you're any different." He retorted which only caused her grin to widen. "I feel like Zephyr is too young to be here, too innocent."

"The thing about war is, there are no innocents." Lynx said, her voice gone serious as she was touching a sensitive subject. "Everyone is guilty or will be guilty about something. If you are still innocent in a war, then you're probably dead in the week."

"How many wars have you gone through?" Mitaka asked as the cynical answer was something only a warrior who had gone through hell and back could say.

"Ten on my home planet, The Clone Wars and then the Empire. This counts as my thirteenth war. I've been in the front lines ever since I can remember and my foster father shaped my cynical personality." She answered, devoid of any emotions.

Mitaka decided not to ask anymore as they entered the General's quarters. They put him gently on the bed before Lynx's communicator beeped as the others had returned from their mission. Mitaka knew that Lynx wanted to ask him to follow but for some reason, she decided not to so they went their separate ways. Mitaka walked back into the Medbay to see Zephyr, still unconscious on the bed. He still saw the same ball of light with angelic wings, dim and unmoving as it represented her current state.

"Wake up, please." He pleaded while taking a sit, holding her hand in his. "I need to know, why you saved me. I need to know if you are safe."

##

Lynx ran towards the bridge before sliding to a stop at the end of the walkway, seeing the other holoforms of the Captains already waiting. She ordered them to jump out of hyperspace before seeing the shuttle that her siblings were in come out of hyperspace in front of them. She watched the shuttle disappear from the viewport before looking at Mart, a silent command being passed. Mart nodded as he disappeared from view.

 _"~Sir, where did he go?~"_ The other captain asked.

"He is preparing the _X-factor_ for battle. Do you want to know why?" Lynx queried and the other two nodded. "Once Admiral Trihorn arrives-"

"I'm back baby!"

"Like now." Lynx hissed annoyingly. "The rest of fleet will be arriving in ten minutes. Prepare all vessels for combat."

"My oh my, I see someone has taken over me." Trihorn smirked, wrapping an arm around Lynx's shoulder before planting a kiss on her helmet. "Missed you sis."

"Missed you too, idiot." Lynx nuzzled her helmet in his neck before Mia joined them, squeezing in between.

"Don't go cute without me." She pouted causing Lynx and Trihorn to chuckle.

"We're not. What happened here by the way? It looks like chaos." Trihorn questioned, looking around the bridge while clasping both of his hands behind his back.

"Let me see… Tainen escaped with the help of Thorn. There are spies who tried to access plans by using Hux's quarters." Lynx said and Trihorn raised an eyebrow.

"Where is the General?"

"Recovering." Lynx muttered, anger was barely present but it was there. "What about Phasma and Ren?"

"Phasma will come around soon and the same goes for Ren." Trihorn replied, lips tight as he thought about the spies wondering the _Finalizer_. "Mia, search the spies."

"We only have five minutes before battle. Are you certain I should?" Mia queried and he let out a sigh.

"Maybe not." He answered. "Do you have the gems on you?"

"Ready and waiting." Mia replied, putting all three of the jewels onto Trihorn's open palm.

"Perfect." Trihorn smiled, keeping the gems in his pocket before they turned around at the sound of the door opening to see Hux walking in, limping slightly but only the most observant of eyes would notice.

One such eye belonged to Lynx who walked up towards the General and saluted before holding his hand. Hux somehow managed to keep his poker face despite wanting to wince when the pain intensified before going completely numb. Lynx visibly stiffened during the contact as she had basically taken in all of the pain and was now hiding it within herself. The General wasn't wearing a helmet, she was wearing one so she could hide the emotions Hux would portray with his current condition.

"General, shouldn't you be resting?" Trihorn questioned, moving aside so that Lynx and Hux could stand at the walkway.

"There is much work to do before their arrival such as finding those spies." Hux replied, looking at Mia at the end of the sentence before looking back at Trihorn who had chuckled.

"Great minds think a like. Unfortunately, the spies will have to wait. The battle will begin soon."

"You do realize that we are to be transferred to the capital ship to meet the Supreme Leader first?" Hux raised an eyebrow at Trihorn who looked like he was just slapped.

"I forgot! Kriff!" The Admiral sighed before turning on his heel to look outside the viewport. "No matter, my point still stands."

"Just leave it alone, Hux." Lynx scolded when the General opened his mouth to speak before changing the subject, "Ren and Phasma…?"

"Have joined us." Mia smiled and Lynx looked to her left to see Ren beside Mia and Phasma beside Trihorn.

"Since when did you two learn to stealth?" Lynx joked earning a couple of chuckles.

"Sir, the fleet is arriving." One of the officers spoke up and all of them looked out of the viewport expectantly.

"So, how many vessels do you think we have?" Hux asked, looking at Lynx who shrugged.

"My cynical side says ten. My joker side says twenty." She responded before looking at Mia. "What about you little sis?"

"I'm thinking twenty." She said then all of them looked at Trihorn.

"Fifty sounds more reasonable than twenty but we have to take into account that in twenty years, you guys could have built up more ships." He said and Hux gave a smile.

"You guys really put your expectation that low, huh?" He said before all of them looked outside again when the first vessel emerged out of hyperspace.

It was an ISD and Lynx noted that it seemed to be fitted to be like a scout ship. She looked at Hux who still had a smile on his face before she looked at Trihorn. The Admiral only looked back with a shrug then a holoform of a young man in First Order uniform appeared in front of them.

 _"~General. Is everything in order within the vessel?~"_ The man questioned.

"Yes, we have double checked everything to make sure that the Resistance is not on our trail." Hux replied and ignored the stares that was being given to him from the three Imperials.

 _"~Very well. Sir.~"_ The man bowed when his eyes met Trihorn's before he stood straighter. _"~This is a precaution set by the Supreme Leader for we are still vulnerable to the Resistance or the New Republic. Otherwise, welcome to the First Order.~"_

Lynx nodded at the holoform which slowly sizzled out before hearing more vessels exit hyperspace. She felt her jaw drop when slowly but surely, her whole vision was filled with ISDs. There were definitely more than twenty and she guessed the ISDs reached to about a hundred. Then, one massive and the last vessel to emerge out of hyperspace was the vessel Lynx had only seen once, as a blueprint. It was the late Emperor Palpatine's flagship, the _Eclipse_.

"The baby was built." Trihorn gawked before Phasma gently closed his mouth with her right hand.

"Yes, it was." She smiled while the giant vessel loomed over them.

"There is still a portion of the fleet missing but otherwise, this is it." Hux told them, turning around abruptly causing Lynx to grit her teeth, managing not to cry out from the intense pain at the movement.

"Hux, careful. You might not feel the pain but it is still there." She warned and the General absentmindedly touched the lightsaber injury Tainen gave him.

"Right. I'm sorry." He whispered, allowing the others to walk out of the bridge first. "You don't have to take the pain for me."

"Unlike you, I have a helmet to hide my emotions." Lynx retorted, making sure her voice was low enough that no one else could hear.

"This is a pain I will have to endure Lynx. You don't have to do this, especially when you're missing a hand." He glanced at her left metallic hand to prove his point.

"This is nothing compared to it being smack dab in the middle of your torso." She scoffed, letting go of him and he immediately grabbed her hand again. "See? Even you can't handle it without me."

"Fine. You win this round." Hux sighed and Lynx gave a smirk before they looked at the door when Trihorn shouted.

"Time is of the essence, love birds!"

##

Since the _Eclipse_ was humongous, they were able to park the _Finalizer_ in one of its hangars. Once docked, the six of them exited the vessel and started walking down the halls, towards the throne room. Trihorn was so excited, he was practically jumping and it took a pull on his shirt from Phasma to calm his emotions. He couldn't help it though because the bigger the ships, the more agitated he will be to explore every single part of it. It was his smuggler personality in play and his siblings couldn't help but roll their eyes at him.

"Bro, calm down." Lynx hissed, having enough when Phasma had to pull him again.

"I can't help it. You know how I want to… To learn this whole place." He replied, slightly in awe.

"Learn?" Hux asked and it was enough to trigger Trihorn's Grand Admiral personality as he started walking slower.

"When I was younger, I used to explore any vessel my… Instructor put me on. Being smugglers, we would use different types of vessels for different missions and that was how I learned." Trihorn smiled before stopping in front of two large double doors.

"What about Imperial vessels? How did you learn those?" Phasma questioned.

"Imperial school didn't teach much so most of it is hands on experience. I got into a lot of trouble tinkering with equipment." He smirked.

"Yet, you did not tinker with the _Finalizer_." Hux tilted his head slightly when Trihorn chuckled.

"I only managed to do so with Ren's shuttle. Otherwise, I spent most of my time repairing my flagship. Just be thankful I haven't even touched on the _Finalizer_." The Admiral winked before all of them looked at Ren who took the lead when the door opened.

Supreme Leader Snoke was currently seated on the throne, his face portraying no emotions as he watched them approach. Instead of the spine tingling, electrifying feeling that was always portrayed around powerful force users who wants to dominate, Trihorn could only feel a sort of calming emotion.

It was also the kind where the master is pleased with the apprentice sort of feel and he assumed that the Supreme Leader is very much happy with their presence. When they stopped after walking down the long walkway, Ren and Mia bowed for being in the presence of the Supreme Leader. The rest of them saluted and Snoke nodded to acknowledge them, allowing all of them to stand straighter.

Snoke's eyes landed on Hux and Lynx who were still holding hands so Hux explained, "Lynx is… Requiring some comfort for now. During our journey, she had seen something she is unwilling to elaborate."

 _What a lie._ Trihorn mused and was thankful that his mind was sophisticated enough that a slight pressure from Snoke's mind probe disappeared almost instantaneously.

From the look of Hux, Trihorn knew that the General was trying his best to hide the real information so he glanced at Mia who returned the gesture. Mia could hide the truth in Hux's mind without the Supreme Leader noticing. Even if he did, he couldn't do anything about it because he would always catch a glimpse of it but can never have a full grasp of it which would lead him teetering on whether it was real or not. Besides, there were other more important matters at hand such as the incoming fight.

"Supreme Leader." Trihorn said, catching everyone's attention as the room had suddenly gone quiet. "If we are to attack the Resistance base in D'Qar and destroy them, we have to do it quickly for I fear that they are currently preparing to evacuate."

Snoke thought about it before gesturing to a fleet just outside the window, "I will spare three of the finest vessels and two new vessels to assist your fleet."

"Do able." Trihorn nodded.

"Which leads me to the next question, where are Tainen, Thorn and Zephyr?" Snoke looked at Ren who clasped his hands behind his back.

"Tainen and Thorn betrayed us while Zephyr suffered a near death experience after-" Ren stopped himself and Trihorn glanced at the Knight when he nearly slipped that personal piece of information that should not be shared with the Supreme Leader. "After she saved me from Thorn's surprise attack."

 _Nice save._ Trihorn smiled slightly before going back to his poker face when Snoke looked at him.

It was like playing a cat and mouse game. Trihorn noticed that the Supreme Leader would keep looking at one person to the other, even Phasma. Trihorn decided to glance at Mia who looked back and he briefly saw a thick wall behind her eyes. She was keeping all the secret information hidden.

 _It's not as easy as it sounds._ She said in his mind and he gave a mental chuckle.

 _You're doing a good job._ He commended, keeping eye contact with Snoke.

"So, the two of them has betrayed us." Snoke said thoughtfully before adding, "Go and destroy the Resistance."

"At once."

##

~~2 days later~~

"This is Grand Admiral Trihorn aboard the _X-factor_ to all vessels, is everything in order and ready for combat?" Trihorn asked the other seven Captains and General Hux who was in command of the _Finalizer_.

 _"~Yes, sir. All vessels running at peak efficiency.~"_ Hux answered while the other Captains nodded.

Before leaving for D'Qar, Trihorn had managed to find a few more officers and pack a whole lot of stormtroopers onto the _X-factor_. He had also been able to find a few replacements for the rail gun but they were still in the testing phase. He didn't trust them completely to command the rail guns but he was sure that they would be sufficient enough. He looked at Lynx and Mia who was beside him then looked at Mart, seated at the ready on the rail guns.

Afterwards, he looked towards the _Finalizer_ , at Hux, Phasma and Ren who were on its bridge. Mitaka stood a few meters behind them and in his hand, Trihorn saw a white colored feather that caused him to smile. Despite being in a hologram in front of him, Hux turned his head to look at him and gave a nod to which he nodded back then looked forward again.

"Fleet, jump out of hyperspace and launch all TIE fighters."

End.

* * *

Well I met my six chapter target with one short chapter dedicated to the supernatural aspect of the bonds. The sequel I am planning will take on a more serious note but will have some humor and shenanigans in it. It will also answer some plotholes that was left unanswered for this book although I have to remember said plotholes. If you have any questions, feel free to ask and I will dedicate the next chapter to answer all of them, spoiler free.

Now, before I upload the sequel, I plan to upload a separate book that has no relations to this whatsoever. It is more towards an idea that I had a month ago by listening to a few songs. Speaking of which, those songs will influence my OCs plus the characters and the book will be a slow build on romance which I suck at. Therefore, the sequel for this might be a bit late because I tend to focus on one story at a time before I start writing on another one unless I want to abandon the previous one. This will receive a sequel, I can promise you that but for now, I will be putting focus on this other book which I think will be quite interesting.

I hope you've enjoyed this book and also leave a review as to which was your favorite moment with a question that you want to be answered. Thank you and have a good day. ;)


End file.
